Delicacy
by NeonHorizon
Summary: Step 1: Go to the fourth ward. Step 2: Meet the leader. Step 3: Get wrecked. Step 4: Fall in love...? Traveling with her best friend, having no plans of her own for the future, what choice does Teruko have but to go with the flow and hope for the best? Takes place during Uta's teenage years. Does not follow a timeline.
1. Chapter 1

_The ghouls here are supposed to be pretty vicious. Does he really think this is a good idea?_ Peering at her friend through her bangs, she sighed and shook her head. _Overconfident as usual. This is a bad idea. I can already feel the dread coiling in my stomach. Makes me want to throw up._

He looked over his shoulder at her and grimaced. "Hey, try to keep up! I don't want to end up losing you in here!" he barked.

She quickened her pace, her bag bouncing against her hip and the contents clattering around. Without a word, the girl gave him a stern look. _Don't reprimand me like a child. You're not much older than I am._

"Ya know, we should probably hold hands or somethin'. I don't want someone snatchin' ya up when I'm not lookin'."

Tipping her head back, she met his gaze directly and furrowed her eyebrows. "How will that look? Make us both look weak if we do that."

"I guess that's kinda true." He rubbed the back of his head, frowning. "At least stay close then, okay? I'm serious! I've heard that the leader of this ward is a real piece of work! He rips off people's limbs and he doesn't even care who ya are! He'd probably tear your throat out, Teru!"

"Probably," she agreed in a soft tone. "But would that be so bad?"

"Don't talk like that! Ya think your mom would wanna hear ya say stuff like that? You're so dark sometimes!" Running his palm over his freshly shaved scalp, Yuudai looked at his surroundings. "What do ya think?"

"Hmm." Teruko shaded her eyes with a hand in the bright afternoon sunlight. The area was quite rundown. The buildings were in horrible condition with windows broken out, walls cracked and crumbling, and pipes exposed. The sidewalks and streets were equally bad with potholes and cracks galore; barely even enough for walking on let alone for cars to drive over.

They were currently out in the open. The duo just arrived in the fourth ward earlier that morning. It was a long journey so Teruko knew that Yuudai was probably just as fatigued as she was. Shoving her hands into her pockets, she nodded toward a stout building with its windows busted out. From the outside, the walls seemed to be in decent condition. "Clear that one out and set up. Think you can manage it by yourself?"

A grin spread across his face and Yuudai cracked his knuckles. "No problem! I've been waitin' for a chance to get a little exercise."

Her friend bounded over to the building without hesitation, his kakugan activating as he approached the door. While he rushed inside, Teruko slipped around to the back of the building and found a nice patch of shade to relax in. Leaning against the cool exterior of their temporary shelter, she considered what they had to do next.

Yuudai had been the one that decided they had to go to the fourth ward. Whatever he had heard to spark this idea seemed to really excite him. He talked about possibly living there long-term, but Teruko had no interest in that. More or less, she was just along for the ride. She had no plans, no goals. Whatever he wanted to do, she went with him. It had been that way since they were toddlers.

Inside of the building, she could hear the sounds of a scuffle and cries of pain. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, listening closely for hints of Yuudai's voice. He was fairly capable of taking care of himself in a fight, but if he was injured she would rush to his aid.

Her nose twitched at the scent of another female ghoul and opened her eyes. Standing across the empty lot behind the building was a girl around her age with short, reddish brown hair. When she saw Teruko looking at her, she lifted a hand and grinned. _What…?_

"Hey there! You look new. What's your name, new girl?" She began to approach, but paused when she saw Teruko crouched slightly as if to attack. "Hostile much? I just asked your name."

"…it's Teruko…" she replied with hesitation. "What do you want?"

"I'm just trying to be friendly. I mean, your buddy in there isn't very nice. I was hoping you might be at least." The girl continued toward her and held out a hand. "I'm Itori."

_Why are we shaking hands?_ Frowning, she shook the girl's hand and hated the flush of pink that was gradually spreading to her face. _She's…actually pretty cute. No. Damn it. Not this again. Why am I like this?_ Releasing her hand, Teruko quickly put some space between them. "So what? Is he causing a problem for you or something? He's just making room for us."

At that same moment, they both heard a loud, shrill scream from inside of the building. Itori snickered and shook her head. "Problem? No way! This is hilarious! Uta's gonna love this!"

"…Uta…?" She quickly slipped her hands into her pockets when Itori got close again. C_an't hold her hand again. I mean __**shake**__ her hand again._

"Yep! He's kinda like the leader of the fourth ward. Wait a second! You didn't know that? You guys came here and started trouble without even realizing-?"

"Teru, it's open!" Yuudai came around the corner, blood splattered on his clothes and face. He looked from her to the other girl and quirked an eyebrow. "Ya makin' friends or somethin'? Ya feelin' okay?" The boy leaned down to press his forehead to hers, as if to check her for a fever.

She swiftly moved back, scowling. "Yuudai…this is Itori."

His eyes widened as he saw a faint hint of pink in her cheeks. Smirking, he bowed to the short-haired girl. "Nice to meet ya! I'm Yuudai."

Itori giggled and slipped an arm around to link with Teruko's. "You guys are pretty funny! Uta's going to love you! Wanna come meet him?"

"Who the hell is Uta?" Yuudai's expression changed, shifting from jovial to skeptical. He wrapped an arm around Teruko and drew her away from the short-haired girl, lifting a brow again.

"He's the leader of the fourth ward," Teruko replied, easily slipping out of his hold. "Just…be on your best behavior, yeah?"

"Hmph. We'll see." Turning his attention back to Itori, he grinned. "Yeah, we'll go meet him! Sounds like a fun dude!"

She had some reservations about meeting the leader of the fourth ward, but Teruko knew that there was no avoiding it. Every ward they had been through, they had to meet the leader of that ward at least once. Though some had no clear leader and they sometimes found themselves facing a group instead of just one person. _Didn't Yuudai say that this guy is "a real piece of work"?_

Walking behind Itori and Yuudai, the girl looked at the other female ghoul with skepticism. They had just met and this girl was offering to introduce them to her leader. It made Teruko feel anxious. Like it was a trap or something.

Looking to her friend, she could see that he was tense. He was gripping the straps of his backpack and there was a stiffness to his posture. Yuudai was usually quick to jump into things, but it was clear that he was anxious about this meeting as well. While she was glad that he seemed to be thinking things through a little better, Teruko still worried that he may do something rash. He liked to project a tough image and if he tried to act arrogant in front of this stranger, it might not end well for them.

When Teruko yawned, she inadvertently made a small squeaking sound afterwards and it drew the attention of the other two. Seeing Itori grin, she looked away and rubbed the back of her neck. "Ah…sorry. Kind of sleepy."

"Teru, ya want to wait at the base and catch a nap?" Yuudai asked, concerned. His narrowed gaze softened when he saw her smother another yawn.

"I'll be fine. We'll just keep it brief, yeah?"

"That was a really cute noise you made, Teruko-chan." Itori linked arms with her and drew her up to walk with them.

"Teru only does that when we've been walkin' too much," Yuudai remarked.

"So are you guys an item?" The short-haired girl saw her new friends frown. "What? You seem pretty close."

The other girl shook her head. "Yuudai's like a brother to me."

"What?! Teru, c'mon! It's not like that!"

"We've known each other since we were babies. Basically siblings," she argued. Teruko tried to ignore the way Itori squeezed her arm close against the side of her chest, but she knew her cheeks were turning pink.

Giggling, it was clear that Itori was enjoying their weird banter. "So are you into boys or girls, Teruko-chan?"

At this, her face went from pink to red and she bowed her head so that her bangs fell over her eyes. "Doesn't concern you."

"That's enough of that sappy _love talk_! Is that Uta guy really a teenager?" Yuudai interrupted.

Teruko gradually slipped her arm free and walked behind them once more. Finally able to calm the racing of her heart, she sighed. _Idiot. I shouldn't get so excited about someone like her. We'll be moving on soon anyway._

Itori led them to an empty warehouse where some older ghouls were hanging around. Inside seemed to be where their leader was located. She went ahead of them to tell the young man that he had some visitors, leaving Teruko and Yuudai outside.

"Ya okay, Teru? She got ya pretty flustered, huh? That was cute!"

"…shut up…"

"I didn't think ya were into _airheads_ though! Most of the people ya liked were the smart, bookish type, weren't they? First time I've seen ya get all red over a bubbly ditz!"

"You're being rude." At that moment, Itori came to retrieve them. Walking behind her at a distance, Teruko bit her lip. "And she's cute, okay?" As she spotted the apparent leader of the fourth ward, her eyes grew wide and she felt her pulse quicken. _And here…we have another. He looks pretty cool._

"Come on, you guys. Introduce yourselves to Uta."

Stepping forward, she knew she had to go first. Giving a short bow, she kept her facial expression neutral. "Nice to meet you. I'm Teruko."

Next to her, the girl's friend grinned wickedly. "Heya! I'm Yuudai and I'm here to beat the shit out of you and take over the fourth ward!"


	2. Chapter 2

When was the last time he was so entertained by a threat against his life? Grinning, Uta hopped down from his perch on a crate and decided to approach the two newcomers. The taller of the two, the one that had just so brazenly threatened to "beat the shit out of" him and "take over the fourth ward" simply grinned back in response to his approach.

The shorter of the two was now turning their head to glare up at the taller one. She was clearly thrown off by what he had said. Whether he had misled her or simply never told her his real reason for entering the fourth ward was a mystery. Not that it mattered to Uta.

They were both interesting. This absurdly bold boy and his significantly quieter friend. Uta tilted his head as he came to stand two feet in front of them, his hands in his pockets. "What'd you say?" he inquired, staring straight into Yuudai's dark eyes.

The taller boy crossed his arms. "Ya got a hearin' problem or somethin', friend? I said I'm gonna beat ya and take this ward!"

"Thought you were going to _behave_." The girl interrupted before Yuudai could say any more. Her voice was lower than Itori's with a certain cool quality to it. He decided that he liked it quite a bit. It would sound great if she screamed.

"You think you can beat me?" he asked, his attention still on Yuudai.

"When I heard that the fourth ward's leader was some kid around my age, I knew it'd be easy for me and Teru to come and take it! Ya think ya can beat me? That's the question ya oughta be askin'!"

Now wondering if Yuudai had some sort of death wish, Uta stepped closer. It had been a while since someone threatened him so directly and this opponent seemed really sure of himself. The boy had a shaved head, which made him look decently tough, and he was well-muscled. If nothing else, he might present a challenge for a while.

When the newcomer attacked first, it gave him an opportunity to calculate his next move. Yuudai's kagune was a long, spiraling koukaku type that coiled around his right arm. His movements were slower than most opponents Uta had faced, but he had to admit that he was better at taking hits. It was as he prepared to actually end him that the real surprise came.

The girl appeared from behind Yuudai and her kagune tore free from the back of her shirt. Large, billowing red kagune spread like wings and she lunged forward at an alarming speed. Uta backed up, defending himself while his grin returned. The girl's face was twisted in determination and fury, her lips pulled into a scowl and her eyes narrowed upon Uta's. What really made his heart race, however, was the tint of pink to her cheeks as she attacked him.

The girl grabbed onto his shirt with both hands, leaning her face down close to his. "Don't touch him again!"

The sole of a boot connected solidly with his chest, forcing him backwards onto the ground, and his eyes widened in surprise. He pushed himself up just in time to see her fleeing the building with Yuudai leaning against her for support. Itori was cackling off to the side, unable to believe what had just happened.

"Did you see Teruko-chan?! She came at you so fast!" she teased.

He wiped a bit of blood from his cheek, amused that the girl had actually managed to catch him off-guard and injure him. "Where did you find them?"

**Shift P.O.V**

"Explain yourself." Teruko finished bandaging his wounds, settled in their new temporary home. She glared at her friend, the dim lighting of their battery-operated lantern casting her face in shadow to make her look quite intimidating.

"Didn't ya hear what I said to him?!" Yuudai demanded, slamming a fist against the already cracking wall. "I wanna take over this ward!"

"…your plan all along…?" She saw him nod grimly. "Being foolish. What if you'd died today? He was going to _kill_ you."

"I wouldn't have let myself die!" A grin cracked across his face as he slouched. "Besides, I've got good old Teru for protection. Rushin' in to save the day like a good little bird."

"…shut up…you know I _hate it_ when you call me that…" The girl packed away the medical kit and leaned back against the wall behind her. _What're we going to do now? He pissed off the leader of this ward. We've got to leave. I was hoping we could stay and I could talk to that girl again, but now we've got to run away._

She knew that they did not have a lot of time. All it would take is for Itori to lead Uta to where they had taken shelter and even if she refused to do that, he could still track them there by their scents. Ruffling her hair, Teruko grimaced. "This is the worst-case scenario, you know that? You've put us in danger!"

"Just who the hell do ya think I did this for?! I was gonna beat him and take over the ward so we'd be safe! He's _our_ age! He should've been easy for me to kill!" Yuudai argued. He winced when he saw her glare in his direction. "Teru, c'mon."

"Worst mistakes begin with good intentions," she stated. "So now what?"

"We'll wait until dark and then take off, if that's what ya want," he offered, his tone soft. "Teru, I didn't mean to-"

"You don't…ugh…you don't get it! I went in there blind because _you_ didn't feel like telling me what the plan was! I had _no idea_ what you were planning! Know what that feels like? Know how _betrayed_ that makes me feel?!"

"I'm sorry," he repeated.

As Yuudai settled in to sleep, Teruko decided that she would keep watch. With him injured in the fight with Uta, he would need all of the rest he could get before they attempted to flee the fourth ward. She rummaged in her bag for her notebook and pencil, flipping to a fresh page and writing.

They would need to find somewhere safe outside of the fourth ward. Preferably somewhere secure with glass in the windows and working electricity. They had lived in worse places, of course, but she much preferred the place they had had in the eleventh ward. It had been a nice little motel room near the ocean. Much more peaceful.

She had not realized that she had dozed off until Teruko felt the warmth of a hand over her mouth. The girl's eyes snapped open wide and she prepared to fight, but winced when a tight grip claimed her left shoulder. When she woke up, Teruko's gray-green eyes met a pair of red and black ones that sent a chill down her spine.

The room was almost dark now, but the small lantern gave off enough light to illuminate the face of her attacker. It made his bleached hair shine like moonlight almost and the piercings in his ears glinted faintly. A grin spread across his face as he leaned down closer, pausing with his nose inches from hers.

Teruko's heart was pounding as she kept her eyes locked on his. The hand over her mouth pressed a bit harder and he released her shoulder, bringing a finger to his lips to signal for her to be quiet. She continued to glare at him. She was angry and flustered. Angry that she had let herself doze off during such a dangerous situation. Flustered because a rather attractive boy was so close to her.

When he realized that she was probably not going to cooperate, Uta gripped her shoulder again in a silent warning. Leaning in closer, his lips neared her ear. "You're pretty strong. You're stronger than he is."

Finally shaking out of her shock, the female ghoul lifted both hands and gripped the wrist connected to the hand over her mouth. She squirmed, trying to wedge her leg between them in the hopes of kicking him away from her. _How did I let this happen?! Yuudai! You have to wake up! Yuudai!_

"You made me bleed," he continued. The hand on her shoulder let go for a moment before grasping her left wrist and pinning her arm above her head. "I haven't had that much fun in a while."

Teruko succeeded in contorting her body enough to slide a booted foot between them and pushed it against his chest, trying to make some space. However, she lacked the room needed to build up enough force to push him away. Instead, he pushed against the sole of her boot and shoved her own knee sharply into her ribs. _Ow, ow, ow! Yuudai, wake up! Wake up!_

Uta finally leaned back to regard her panicked facial expression and grinned, tilting his head. "You're cute."

**_You're _**_cute__! No! Damn it! Yuudai, come on! I can't handle this; I'm going to get a nosebleed if he doesn't get away from me! _She could hear her pulse in her ears as the pink tint to her cheeks spread more. The rapid beating of her heart made her feel a fresh wave of panic bubbling up.

"I like you." He drew close again and trailed the tip of his tongue over the curve of her ear, pausing to flick at the silver hoop that threaded through the cartilage. Her body tensed beneath his and she released a sound, but it was muffled by his palm. A look down showed that her face was now bright red and her eyes were half-closed in embarrassment. "You like me?"

_I can't take much more of this! I can't even get my kagune free because I'm pinned against this wall! _Teruko's arm was released and she felt a strong grip around her ankle. Her leg was forced to the side so that it no longer separated them and she winced as he immediately closed the distance. She hated the fact that she was blushing. She hated the fact that she was attracted to him. Even in this absolutely terrifying, potentially deadly, situation she was half-wishing that would kiss her.

Before either of them could make another move, they heard someone calling his name outside. Uta pouted, but released her fully and leaned back. Meeting her gaze once more, he signaled for her silence. "You're gonna stay, right?"

"We…tried to _kill_ you," she stammered, dumbfounded by his question.

Grinning, he leaned down and brought his face close to hers. "Yeah and you're pretty strong. I like you. So you should stay. Where else are you gonna go?"

It was somewhat depressing that he seemed to automatically sense that they had nowhere else to go, but it was true. "You...actually want us to stay?"

"Yeah." Uta said this as if it should have been obvious. He stood and stared down at her for a moment. "Find me tomorrow. I'll give you something good."

Teruko was still a little startled by what had just happened and numbly watched him saunter out of the room into the darkness. _What was that about? He likes me? _Her heart skipped a beat and she shook her head. _He likes me?! A boy like that…likes me?_

Yuudai stirred awake and blinked groggily. "Teru, what's up?"


	3. Chapter 3

"Heeey, Teruko-chan!" Itori waved at her from across the street. She was sitting on an old crate outside of the abandoned shop that was there, grinning at Teruko and holding up a plastic shopping bag. "I brought you something. Where's Yuu-chan?"

"Yuu-chan?" She hesitantly crossed the road, hands in her pockets. Teruko had left her temporary home with the intention of hunting. After all, Yuudai was still healing after fighting Uta. She also wanted to get a better idea of the layout of their new neighborhood.

"Yuu-chan! You know…Yuudai." The short-haired girl rummaged in her bag and drew out two cans of chilled coffee. "I brought you a present~"

"Oh…thanks." One can was tucked into her bag while she opened the other. Teruko caught Itori looking at her as she sipped the beverage and raised an eyebrow. As she wiped away a few drops of coffee from her lips, she shifted her gaze to the side and fought a blush from rising to her face. "What?"

Itori stood and reached out a hand to ruffle Teruko's long dark hair. "You know, you're pretty cute. I can see why Uta likes you." She let her fingertips trail along a strand of the other girl's hair, eyes fixing on the obsidian shine it held.

What might have been a simple pink blush was now bright red and Teruko stepped back. "I'm not cute." She could feel her pulse starting to increase and held out her free hand. "W-want me to carry your bag?" she stammered.

The other girl's smile grew. "You're really polite, Teruko-chan. Kind of Yuudai's opposite, huh?"

Teruko felt Itori's fingers brush hers when she handed the bag over and had to ignore the way her heart skipped a beat. "Our mothers used to joke that when we're together, we make an actual, functioning person," she muttered.

"Really? So what else do you have that he doesn't have? You know, besides being a girl." She gave Teruko an expectant stare as the two began walking down the street together.

Averting her gaze, she tried not to show how flustered she felt. "Ah. Well, Yuudai's really bad at hunting. Terrible at being quiet. Can't really read or write unless it's just his name. And he's bad with money."

"So you're kinda like the brains and he's the brawn."

"I'm the brains _and_ the brawn," she argued, flushing pink. _Stop it! Why am I trying so hard to impress her? I bet she prefers guys. I shouldn't even get this excited about talking to a girl. Why am I like this?_

Tilting her head back to look up at the sky, she beamed. "So Yuu-chan's the comic relief, right?"

Teruko snorted and nodded. "Sounds about right, yeah."

"Where are you going anyway?"

"Well…where are _you_ going?" she asked, scratching her neck a little.

"Hmmm." Itori tapped a fingertip to her chin for a moment and then her eyes lit up. Slinging an arm around Teruko's shoulders, she turned her in the opposite direction. "Let's go see Uta!"

**Shift P.O.V**

He was definitely jealous. Yuudai scowled as he ran a hand over his bare scalp, wincing when his arm began to throb. Teruko had not been injured when she went after Uta. She was able to actually knock him down and escaped unscathed.

_I'm supposed to be her protector, damn it!_ The male ghoul curled his hand into a fist and slammed it against the cold, already cracked wall beside him. Staggering his way to the front of the building, he hid near a window and peered out at the sidewalk.

Across the street, Teruko was talking to Itori. She was blushing and it was blatantly obvious to Yuudai that she was flustered. Not that he really cared. Her crushes on girls never bothered him. It was when she fell for a guy that he started to get outright angry. He gritted his teeth, still feeling a little jealous. Itori was pretty cute, but she seemed more interested in talking to Teruko than him.

He was about to retreat to the dark room they had slept in when he saw Itori put an arm around the other girl and grin down at her. Even from this distance, Yuudai could see that Teruko was starting to blush profusely. _What the hell am I doin'?! I could get Itori-chan! I just don't wanna piss off Teru! I could get her if Teru wasn't into her! I'd totally be better for her than Teru!_

**Shift P.O.V**

"Look at the cutie I ran into on my way here!" Itori called, stepping into the warehouse ahead of Teruko.

"I'm not cute," the other girl muttered, chewing on her thumbnail. She hated the way that her face warmed up at being called "cute". _Itori probably doesn't like girls. I always get this way when cute girls talk to me. And then they're usually only into guys. Why am I like this? _Teruko blinked in surprise when a figure in black landed in front of her, having hopped down from the rafters.

Uta leaned down, grinning and bringing his face inches from hers. "You came."

She blinked again and took a step back. A hand lifted to anxiously rub the back of her neck. "Ah…yeah. Said I should so…here I am."

He tilted his head and stepped closer. "I said I'd give you something good, right? It's over this way." Without warning, he reached for her hand and took it in his.

Teruko walked with him, but was a little puzzled. Itori was right behind them, not appearing even slightly worried. "Can't stay long."

"Why not?" Uta looked at her over his shoulder, frowning.

"Yuu-chan's waiting, right? Is he okay?" Itori came up on her left.

"Just a little banged up," she confessed. "He's tough."

The other girl snickered. "You're waaaay tougher than he is, T-chan! I haven't seen someone knock Uta over like that in a while! You were really cool!"

She flushed a faint pink and frowned. "You…really think I was cool?"

"You're cool," Uta chimed in. "I wouldn't want you here if I didn't like you."

Determined to not fall for either of her new acquaintances any more than she already had, Teruko frowned. "Yeah, well. Yuudai's cool, too. Should give him a chance." She spotted the cooler that Uta was leading her towards and raised an eyebrow. _What's he giving me?_

"Yuu-chan's kinda crazy though," Itori pointed out.

"I like him," the male ghoul quietly argued. "He's got guts."

"Yeah; you could've ripped them out in that fight!"

"No, I like him, though." Uta frowned at Itori as her laughter died. "He's…_interesting_. I like him. Where is he?"

Rubbing the back of her neck, Teruko gave a half-shrug. "Left him at our place. He's tired."

This seemed to satisfy Uta for the time being. He opened the cooler and rummaged around a little before drawing out a hefty item wrapped in white paper and cling wrap. It gave off a strong, meaty aroma that immediately drew Teruko's attention. He half-grinned and held it out to her. "For Yuudai. You don't have food yet, right?"

"Yeah…" She was hesitant to accept the offering. It was just a little too odd that he had decided so quickly that he liked them both. They had known each other for less than a day, had fought rather viciously, and now he was giving her food. To Teruko, it felt like some sort of trick.

The only other time someone was this accepting was when female ghouls fell for Yuudai. Girls would give him anything if he was able to charm them and their friendliness would be forced to extend to Teruko if they wanted to keep Yuudai happy. The female ghoul highly doubted that Uta had a crush on Yuudai; he did not seem to be quite as interested in Yuudai as he was in her.

Tucking the gift into her bag, she bowed slightly. "Thanks for the food."

"Well of course! We're friends now, right?" Itori spoke up again. "I mean, unless you want to be _more_ than friends~" She smiled at Teruko in a way that instantly made her blush.

Pulling up the hood of her jacket, Teruko tried to hide the warm hue of her cheeks. "I-I'm good. Thanks."

"Awww! Are you blushing, T-chan?"

"Oh. You're into girls?" Uta leaned down a little, trying to see Teruko's face in the shadows of her hood. He sounded curious rather than disgusted or disappointed, which was something that she was not used to.

Normally if someone knew that Teruko liked both genders, they were either cruel about it or seemed to just not understand how it worked. Tugging nervously at the strap of her bag, she turned her head away. "Boys and girls," she quietly explained. "I just…have weird taste. Sorry."

The other two exchanged a glance. "What're you apologizing for?" The boy came closer, leaning down again and grabbing her shoulders so she could no longer turn away from him. Seeing the color in her cheeks and the wet sheen of her gray-green eyes, he started to grin. "You're weird. I like you."

_There's something wrong with you then._ Despite this thought, she felt a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She let a smirk form on her features and she tilted her head. "Yeah? Well. Heh. Like you, too. Just as weird as I am, aren't you?"

His grin turned sheepish now and he backed up a little. "So what's Yuudai's type? Is he the same?"

Teruko snorted and shook her head, beginning to relax. _Maybe these two are alright. The meat smells fresh and clean. So I know he didn't taint it or something. And they're being pretty nice._ Shoving her hands into her pockets, she started to grin. "Yuudai likes girls. His type…basically just smart girls."

"Like _you_?" Itori teased.

"No! I said…we're basically siblings," she protested. "Our moms were best friends so we got raised together. Couldn't see him as a guy if I tried."

Itori and Teruko started walking toward the exit with Uta following, the short-haired girl mentioning that she would give her a tour of the ward. "So what if he has a crush on you?"

"Been over it. Can't date. Be like kissing a brother." She yawned widely and covered her mouth, trying to prevent herself from squeaking afterwards like last time. _None of that. Especially in front of Uta._

The bleach-blond ghoul came up beside her and seemed content just to hear their conversation. When he did contribute, it was to mention Yuudai again. "I wanna see him. Where do you guys live?"

"Ah…he's still healing."

"I wanna be friends with both of you though," he stated with a smile.


	4. Chapter 4

"Uta's a demon." Yuudai saw Itori put a hand over her mouth, muffling her laughter. He could see it in her eyes; she found this hilarious and she was barely trying to hide the fact. "No! I'm serious! That guy's a _demon_!"

Itori shook her head, almost crying because she was laughing so hard. "What makes you say that, Yuu-chan?"

He ran a hand over the indigo-colored peach fuzz on his scalp, frowning to himself. When he had emerged from the old building, he did not expect to find the female ghoul hanging around. He was glad though; she was cute. Probably good company. Not to mention the fact that he just hated being by himself. Without Teruko around, he had no idea what to do with himself.

"He's too damn _strong_, for one! What kinda guy is that strong at that age, huh?!" Yuudai closed his eyes and leaned back in the shade of the building, crossing his arms over his chest.

"T-chan's that strong," she pointed out. Itori snickered beside him and dug in her bag for a can of coffee. The chilled metal pressed against the side of his neck and made him hiss in surprise, but the boy gladly accepted the gift. Seeing the pleased look in his eyes, her grin spread a bit. "If she was a guy, the girls would be all over T-chan."

"I'm just as strong as she is!" he protested.

"Need help opening that can?"

"I can do it myself! What're ya tryin' to say, Itori-chan?! Ya think I'm _weak_ or somethin'?" Yuudai struggled for a moment before finally getting the can open.

She watched him drink and offered a sweet smile. "Okay, so what else? You think he's a demon just because he's strong?" The girl was having way too much fun listening to him ramble. She had enjoyed hanging out with Teruko the past two weeks, but now that she had Yuudai alone she could see his appeal as well.

Wiping drops of coffee from his mouth, he scowled. "He's creepy as fuck. Ya know, I woke up from a nap the other day and he was just standin' there in the room! Just watchin' me sleep and messin' with one of his piercings! I dunno what the hell he was plannin' to do while I was asleep, but when he saw I was awake, he started smilin' at me and just stood there! He didn't even move until Teru came back and started talkin' to him!"

Itori shook her head, barely able to stop herself from laughing in front of him. "Uta was watching you sleep?"

"I know how it sounds, but that creep was standin' there watchin' me sleep! Why would I make this up?!" Yuudai grimaced and slouched a little. "What're ya doin' here anyway? Were ya lookin' for Teru? 'Cause she went to work."

"T-chan's got a job?"

**Shift P.O.V**

The conditions were less than ideal for hunting, but Teruko needed two things; money and food. As much as she hated doing this during the day, it was out of the question to go at night. A nighttime hunt would attract too much attention. Over the past two weeks of living in the fourth ward, she had studied the movements of the other ghouls. They all tended to gravitate toward Uta and any hunting took place at sunset at the earliest. Thus why she had gone to an area just outside of the fourth ward to do this.

She narrowed her eyes on her target, stomach quietly growling. The target in question was a young man in his early twenties. A human. Bearing tattoos on his forearms and wearing sunglasses. _Tattoos_, she thought with a grimace. _Ugly stuff. He'll probably taste nasty._

Reaching into her pocket, she withdrew the order again. It was a standard order for meat with a specific target in mind. Simple enough. The young female ghoul that gave her this order card seemed eager for the man's death. No doubt, there was some sour romance involved.

Teruko knew that she was not like Itori. Not pretty enough to flirt with the target to draw him somewhere private. That would make it too easy anyway and she enjoyed a challenge. Teruko would need to find a different way to isolate him from the other people on the street.

Licking her lips, she stared at the man as he studied a teenage girl that was crossing the street. _What a creep._ Teruko saw his head turn slightly and shifted her gaze to the teenage human as well. She let her eyes roam up and down the girl's figure, making it rather obvious to the young man. When he smirked, she knew that he had noticed. _That's right. I like girls. Say something._

He started toward her, wearing a sleazy half-grin and lowering his sunglasses as he approached the ghoul. "Hey, kid. You like what you see over there? You swing that way?"

She tilted her head slightly, lips curling into a smile. "Anyone can appreciate a work of art," she stated.

In that moment, the amusement in his eyes transformed into disgust. The man stepped closer, scowling down at her. "What're you saying?"

"I said-" Teruko gritted her teeth as the young man grabbed her by the hair. _Damn it! Really?!_

"You think you're _better_ than me? Is _that_ it? Calling that piece of ass a "work of art"! Aren't you a little full of yourself for a high school kid?" The man leaned down, bringing his face close to hers.

The smell of meat emanated from the human, making her stomach growl in response. She had to fight the urge to snap her teeth at the man and simply glowered up at his narrowed gaze. Teruko's hands were gripping his wrist, but she was using restraint. To use her full strength against this man, out in the open, would draw too much attention.

She was no longer in the fourth ward, but the adjacent fifth ward. Teruko knew that the CCG was more present here, yet she had been willing to take that risk. What she had not expected was this quick confrontation with her prey. The plan had been to discreetly take him out and harvest the meat from his corpse.

Clearly irritated by her lack of response to his insults, the man began dragging her away from the sidewalk. No one bothered to even look over as he took her into an alley. Once they were a good distance from the street, she was thrown against the wall and the man drove a fist into her gut.

Teruko heard him snarling insults and swears, but her attention was on how she could quickly and quietly kill him. She was reluctant to use her kagune because it would definitely draw attention to the alley. Her kagune was such a vibrant crimson and a decent size for an ukaku's kagune. Yuudai often made rather unsavory jokes about how her kagune were bigger than his was.

As the man drew back a fist to punch her in the face, something stopped him. A hand darted forward from behind him and grasped his wrist tightly. The human's arm was wrenched violently backwards, bent the wrong direction until the elbow snapped and the man screamed. Teruko moved without a second thought and lunged forward, closing her teeth on the man's throat.

It was as she tore away a big chunk of flesh that she realized who had helped her. Gray-green eyes met a pair of red and black ones. She saw Uta's grin seconds before his hand plunged through the human's chest and his fingertips brushed over her collarbone. When he pulled his hand back through, blood splattered his face and he licked his lips.

The corpse crumbled to the ground between them and Teruko stared down at it for a long moment. _What? What just happened?! What?_ Lifting her gaze to Uta, she hated the blush that rose to her face. Watching him lick blood from his fingers sent a rush of warmth through her. "What're you doing here?" she finally managed to demand.

He tilted his head and gave the corpse a kick in the side. "I heard that you were leaving the fourth ward and I wanted to see where you were going."

She crouched down and rummaged in her bag for a knife. "Just…doing some work," the girl explained quietly. Her eyes darted to the alley opening, checking for any curious humans that might wander in.

"Work?" The bleach-blond ghoul crouched across from her, giving her a curious look over the rim of his sunglasses.

"Was hired for this. A girl wanted him dead and wanted food. I need money and food. Simple job." Teruko wrapped the harvested meat when she was done and packed it away into her bag. _Now all that's left is delivery._ She stood and began walking down the alley, away from the street. Now that she had blood on her, she had to stay hidden until she was safely back in the fourth ward.

Uta was soon coming up beside her, absently fidgeting with one of his ear piercings. "So you kill for money, huh? Kinda like a bounty hunter. That's pretty cool."

Her cheeks burned and she bit her lip. "Yeah, well. Some humans have gotta die, right? Some of 'em don't deserve to live."

Catching the dark tone of her voice, his grin reappeared and he nodded. "Is that what you really think?"

Teruko gripped her bag's strap tightly and frowned. "Yeah. Don't you? They hunt us. Can't let us just live. Not even our fault that we're the way we are, you know. Not that _they_ care. What would they do if they couldn't get food? They'd _starve_. They'd _cry_. So why can't they understand-?" She shook her head, cutting herself off. "Humans are just trash."

Leaning forward to try to see her expression from behind her bangs, Uta raised an eyebrow. "You really don't like them."

"And you do?" she challenged.

"Not really," he replied with a shrug. "But you really hate them, don't you?"

"If they want love, they ought to try loving us first." The female ghoul glanced over to see him licking his fingers again. "Taste good?"

Rather than an answer, she found her back pressing against a cold brick wall in the shadows. A hand gripped her right shoulder and she saw the male ghoul leaning down toward her. Uta held her chin with his free hand and focused his eyes on hers. "You want a taste?"

_Why do I feel excited?! What's wrong with me? He's just teasing me! It's what he does! Why am I like this? Why am I so-?_ Teruko blinked in alarm as the boy's lips met hers, hard. His body pressed against hers and pinned her tightly to the wall at her back. Her eyes gradually slid closed as his mouth moved against her own, his tongue easing past her lips. The taste of human blood added to the already pleasurable moment and a soft groan was muffled by his mouth.

When Uta pulled away, he licked his lips again and tilted his head. "I think it tastes pretty good," he teased.


	5. Chapter 5

NeonHorizon: Thank you for your kind words in the reviews. It's very much appreciated.

* * *

Teruko was accustomed to dealing with her "clients" in a professional and quick manner. The meat was handed over, along with proof of the target's death, and then she would be paid. When she went to deliver the meat and evidence this time, things did not go so smoothly.

"Is that Uta? Heeeey, Uta!" The young woman at the door waved at the boy, beaming excitedly. "I didn't know you were close with Uta, Teru-san."

The dark-haired girl looked over her shoulder at the bleach-blond boy. He gave the ghoul in the house a small wave, his lips curled into a grin. _He…really is popular._ Teruko gave the young woman a half-shrug and offered the meat, along with a tattoo that she had sliced off of the target's arm.

"Thanks for taking care of my little problem, Teru-san. I'll let you know if I have any more pop up," the older ghoul said with a wink.

"Appreciate it." Teruko accepted her payment and nodded farewell. As she turned around, she met eyes with Uta and felt a bubbly sort of sensation in her veins. She started down the sidewalk, adjusting her bag and trying not to react when he came up beside her. _It's so uncool. What's this feeling? Like little bubbles popping in my veins._

"Where next?"

"Going home. Need to store this meat and I've got a cooler with some fresh ice. Ah." She halted and dug around for a smaller piece that was wrapped in plastic. Teruko stuck out her hand to him, offering the slab of meat. "Your cut, Uta."

The boy's head tilted slightly, lips drawing further back as his grin spread. "You want me to have this?"

She rubbed the back of her neck. "You helped me. So take a piece. Only fair, after all. Besides…not like Yuudai needs that much. _He_ didn't help me."

Uta accepted the offering and tucked it into his pocket. "You're weird, Teruko." He fidgeted with a piercing as he walked ahead of her and then paused to look back at the girl. "I like you."

_Don't let him win you over this easily! I always fall for people way too fast! I barely even know Uta! I'm so uncool and he's…the exact opposite. He's intimidating and strong. He's awesome._ Teruko attempted to appear aloof and tucked a strand of hair behind her left ear. "Thanks. You're…weird, too."

This made him grin and he walked backwards, keeping his eyes on her. "So you're going home? I wanna go with you."

Remembering the last time he was in her home, or at least the last time she knew of, she felt a shiver run down her spine. Teruko had been getting ready to go out for the morning and seek work, but paused when she caught sight of the blond ghoul standing in one of the empty little rooms, staring out the window. No explanation had been offered and he had left on his own, but when she brought it up to Yuudai, her friend began to rave that Uta was a demon. "Probably best not to," she replied.

His smile fell and he leaned down a little so he could see her eyes better behind the girl's long bangs. "You don't wanna hang out with me?"

"Just don't want to bother Yuudai. Sensitive, you know?"

"Hm." Uta moved to walk next to her again, stretching his arms over his head and yawning. "I like Yuudai; he's funny. I wanna see him."

"…really…?" She found it hard to believe. Male ghouls usually disliked Yuudai due to his attitude and overall aggressiveness when he approached them.

"You don't like him?"

The girl shook her head, hands sliding into her jacket pockets. "He's like a brother to me," she explained. "So I've seen his good and bad points. Funny as he is, I'd have to say the bad outweigh the good. He's nice to girls. _All_ girls. And little kids." Her lips twisted into a snarl for a moment. "Even if they're _human_."

"But…?" Uta could already tell that there was more to it.

"Putting it bluntly, he's dumb. Refuses to learn how to read or write, can't hunt without causing a scene, messy eater by the way, and he's got an attitude most guys can't stand. Still. Girls like him enough, I guess."

Uta tipped his head back, staring up at the gathering storm clouds. "Did he ever steal a girl from you?"

Her hands curled into fists, jaw muscles clenching. "Of course he has."

**Shift P.O.V**

Raindrops pattered down on the fourth ward, but the two young ghouls were shielded by an overhang in the back of the building. Yuudai glared out at the rain, lips twisted into a scowl. _This rain is ruinin' everythin'! I wanted to get closer with Itori-chan and now she's gonna wanna leave!_

The girl reached a hand out, letting the cool drops splash onto her open palm. Sighing, she drew it back and watched the water drip to the ground beneath her. "I can't believe this rain! Right, Yuu-chan? It was so nice before this!"

"Ya don't like rain, Itori-chan?"

She made a dismissive gesture with her hand and shook her head. "It's not that! I'm just worried about _T-chan_! If the rain gets bad, she won't come home tonight!"

Yuudai's shoulders drooped a little and he bit the side of his tongue. _Damn Teru. She's blockin' me without even bein' here. No! I'm not lettin' ya have Itori-chan, Teru! I want this one!_ He cleared his throat and felt a faint warmth in his cheeks as the short-haired girl looked over. "Hey, so, ya like Teru or somethin'?"

Itori's soft pink lips curled into a mischievous smile and she scooted closer to Yuudai beneath the overhang. "What? You want to see me kiss her?"

"I just wanna know if ya like her," he argued.

A sigh escaped her and she ran a hand through her short, peach-colored hair. "Of course. I think she's adorable and she'd be really cool if she was a guy! But I'm pretty sure someone else's got dibs on T-chan."

The boy's pulse sped up and he swallowed his nervousness. _She didn't say anythin' about a crush on Teru. I might have a chance!_ Attempting to put on a tough sort of face to mask his excitement, Yuudai lifted an arm and prepared to wrap it around her shoulders. He wanted to draw her closer so she could rest her head against him. Being alone in the rain, with a girl as cute as Itori, was almost like a setup created by the gods.

Before Yuudai could get her attention, Itori was moving out from beneath the overhang and waving excitedly. "T-chan, welcome home!" she called.

**Shift P.O.V**

Teruko saw Itori standing there in the rain, her hair and clothes quickly soaked. She tilted her head curiously and crossed the space behind the abandoned building. Uta had already gone back to his usual hangout by this time so she was alone. It was just lucky that she had an umbrella in her bag when the rain began.

Standing close to Itori, the girl held the umbrella so that it shielded them both from the assaulting downpour. "Yuudai. Should be enough room for three," she spoke, looking down at his crouched figure.

His eyes narrowed up at her and Yuudai ran a hand over the indigo peach-fuzz that covered his scalp. "I don't need help! I'm a _man_; I can take a little rain!"

Teruko watched him stalk through the rain and into the building, stopping in the doorway to wait for her. She started to walk, but felt her pulse skip a beat when Itori wrapped her arms around her free arm. _I can feel her…chest…against my arm. I need to calm down; it's not like it means anything!_

"You're my hero, T-chan. I didn't think the rain was that bad, but look at me! I'm soaked!" Itori laughed lightheartedly and squeezed Teruko's arm tighter against her. "You're nice and warm. I just want to cuddle up with you under a blanket until this rain stops~"

Her face was bright red by the time they reached the building. She forced herself to keep her eyes on Yuudai, despite the temptation to look at the girl currently hugging her arm. Teruko's pulse was in overdrive as Itori finally released her arm and entered the building. It was only then that she allowed her gaze to drift. Just as Itori had said; her clothes were soaked and clinging to her figure snugly. Teruko bit her lower lip, bowing her head as she turned to shake her umbrella dry. "Saw Uta today."

"What the hell did that demon want?" Yuudai grumbled, squeezing water out of his shirt. "Gonna need to change. Itori-chan, ya need spare clothes?"

"I wanna wear T-chan's jacket. Her body probably kept it nice and warm." The girl gave Teruko a grin that filled the other ghoul's stomach with butterflies.

It was a long day, but when the rain finally let up, Itori left them. Teruko was sitting against the wall, jotting down some notes in the notebook she always carried in her bag. Sitting beside her on the floor were a few different coffee cans of varying roast level and brand. Yuudai was across from her, chewing on a piece of dried human meat and doing it quite loudly.

"Can have her, you know. Doubt she's into girls," Teruko finally spoke up.

"I saw her hangin' all over ya, Teru! Even if I like her-!"

"Listen. I talk to her, make you sound good, maybe she'll change her mind. Won't know unless we try, right?" She looked up from her notes and saw him grimace. "Right?"

"What about that demon?" he challenged.

The female ghoul licked her lips and half-grinned. "Doubt they're together. Just be tactful, yeah? Girls want someone with some charm."

The next afternoon found Yuudai attempting to hang out with Itori in order to get closer to her and Teruko walking alone in a less populated portion of the ward. She had her head bowed, hands in her pockets as she contemplated her next job. An order had been filled out. An easy target; a middle-aged human that worked in an office. A portly gentleman that scammed a male ghoul in the fourth ward. She was promised a nice bonus if she could deliver the gentleman's head to her ghoul client.

As she tried to decide what day to hunt him down, Teruko picked up the scent of ghoul blood. It was faint, but enough to get her attention. She looked over her shoulder and felt the color drain from her face. _What…?_

A rather ragged-looking male ghoul was trudging along behind her, but not as if he was following. Just as if he happened to be walking the same way that she was. When he lifted his gaze from the ground, a pair of fierce gray eyes met her gray-green ones and his mouth twisted into a scowl.

He soon stumbled and fell to his knees on the cement. His breathing was labored, his body scraped and bruised in various places. As she approached, he glared up at her through his pale, almost gray, hair. "…get back…" As if speaking these words took the last of his energy, he collapsed face-down on the pavement.


	6. Chapter 6

_Smells…good. __**Really**__ good._ Teruko grimaced and shook her head. _What's wrong with me? I'm insane. Have to be. Look at what I'm doing. _Tightening her hold, she shifted a little so the boy's head rested against the back of her shoulder.

After seeing the pale-haired ghoul collapse in the street, she knew that she had to help him. He was clearly injured and if she left him alone, it would take very little time for bigger ghouls to come along and devour him. Teruko silently thanked her strength and hauled him onto her back.

Now walking down the back alleys, carrying this stranger piggy-back, she started to wonder what had happened to him. He did not look familiar to her. His scent was oddly pleasant though; a healthy mix of human blood and a natural ghoul scent. It made this strange task just a little easier for her to handle.

_What am I going to do? He's messed up from something so he'll need bandages. What happened to him? Wait…_Teruko's nose twitched as she picked up traces of another ghoul's scent on his shirt and hair. _No way. I smell…Uta. Did Uta do this to him? But why? Who is this guy anyway?_

She finally reached her building and entered as quietly as she could. It proved unnecessary when she reached the room where she and Yuudai slept. Her friend had yet to return from spending time with Itori.

Settling the unconscious boy onto her makeshift bed of various blankets, the girl frowned. _Still asleep. Probably for the best._ She saw that his knuckles were bleeding and knew where she needed to start. Teruko brought the medical kit over and wiped away any blood with a handkerchief before wrapping his wounds.

Sitting back against the wall nearby, she kept her eyes on him and chewed at a fingernail. _So who is he? And what happened to him? I smell Uta on him, but it's not like he got close. It's more like he brushed past him. This guy…looks pretty young. Around my age?_ Her stomach growled and she grimaced.

Teruko went to the cooler and fetched a nice scrap of meat to snack on. Settling on the floor near the boy's prone form, she savored the bloody flavor of the meat. As her teeth sank in, she saw a finger twitch. The boy's face contorted, a frown tugging at his mouth. She drew her legs up against her chest, not taking her eyes off of him.

He went still once more, body relaxing against the floor. The female ghoul's teeth were still buried in the piece of flesh as she watched him. She slowly pulled at the slice of meat, tearing it and sending some blood dripping down her chin. Before she could start chewing the mouthful of food, the boy moved. She sat frozen in shock as the scrap of meat was torn from her hands and the pale-haired boy crouched in front of her.

The way that he tore into the meal could only be described as vicious. Animalistic. The sort of desperation and hunger that Teruko had only seen in the half-crazed ghouls that she occasionally spotted in the fourth ward. He chewed, blood running from the corners of his mouth. His eyes were lowered as he devoured the food, almost as if he was unaware that she was even in the room.

Her heart pounded in a panicked rhythm as she held perfectly still. He was injured so if she had to fight him, she could probably win. However, she wanted to avoid this. The abandoned building may not be able to handle the damage brought on by an ukaku kagune and hers were rather large.

_Will he just eat and run? He's eating like he's starving. _Both hands were braced against the wall at her back and when his eyes finally lifted, her nails dug into the soft, aged wood. His gray eyes narrowed rather menacingly when they met her gray-green gaze. The boy stared at her for a long moment before he moved forward in a crawl.

_No. No, no, no. Don't want a fight, boy! Just take your stuff and leave!_ Teruko's brain scrambled for a solution. If he became threatening, she would have to fight. She decided that, if it came to it, she would kick him in the shoulder and attempt escape to minimize the damage to her home.

When he reached toward her, she lifted a boot and slammed it against his shoulder. Any normal ghoul would have been pushed back and possibly stunned by the sudden, quick attack. Apparently, his speed was closer to her own and his strength was as well. Fingers dug at the ground, keeping him in place, and his free hand gripped her ankle in a nearly crushing hold.

She glared back at him now, not about to let him kill her. If kicking failed, she knew that she would just have to try something else. Anything to keep herself alive. Teruko gritted her teeth and attempted to free her ankle. His arm shifted, twisting her leg sharply and then dragging her onto her back on the floor.

With this stranger hovering over her now, she prepared to release her kagune. The floor was basically concrete so the worst of the damage should just be a few cracks. Before she could, Teruko found herself taken aback by his next action. A thumb traced over the blood that was still on her chin and he lifted it to his mouth, licking it away.

_What…?_ She lay frozen underneath him as the boy sat back on her waist, licking the blood from his hand. It was then that Teruko heard the loud growl of his stomach. _He just wanted the blood?_

He looked down at her for a moment and scowled before turning his head to the side. The ghoul's eyes settled first on his bag, which she had set on the floor near the doorway, and then to the cooler in the corner of the room. When his gaze dropped to her again, he expected to see fear or outrage. Instead, he found curiosity. He moved back, keeping her legs pinned down, but turned his face toward the cooler again. "…you have food…?"

Teruko was surprised by how quiet his voice was. As if he usually stayed silent. She gave a small nod, not taking her eyes off of him. "Hungry?"

"I'm…starving." Lowering his gaze yet again, he seemed to be checking her facial expression. "I'm taking your food."

"Fine by me. Can always get more. Going hunting again soon anyway." This seemed to be all it took. The boy got off of her completely and went to her cooler, throwing open the lid. Teruko pushed herself to sit up, moving back to lean against the wall once more as she watched him begin to feast.

_Starving, huh? How long's it been since he ate?_ She nibbled at her thumbnail, frowning to herself. The girl expected him to take the food and flee. After all, he was clearly hostile. To her surprise, he sat across the little room from her with a large piece of meat in his hands.

He chewed rather viciously, not taking his eyes off of her while he ate. Blood spotted his shirt as he enjoyed the meal and he seemed to be ignoring the pain from his injuries. When he finally appeared satisfied, he drew his legs to his chest and watched her from behind his long bangs. "Who…are you?"

Puzzled that he was asking this, let alone still in her home, she raised an eyebrow. "Teruko. Brought you here after you collapsed." She ran her fingers through her hair and attempted to put on a cool façade. "Got pretty banged up, yeah? Want to tell me what happened? Or who you are?"

He shook his head and continued to glare at her. "…Teruko…"

"Yeah. Listen. Whatever your name is. My friend will be back soon so you should get going, okay?"

"I'm not leaving."

"Is that right?" She was still trying to maintain a cool façade, but on the inside she was beginning to panic. She had no idea what to do. When Yuudai returned, he would definitely assume the worst. Either he would immediately think the boy was an intruder and try to fight him or he would assume that this boy was somehow "involved" with Teruko and that would almost be worse.

She stood and slid her hands into her pockets. Gray-green eyes narrowed upon the boy as she looked down at him. In a few steps, she had crossed the room and planted a boot against the wall right beside his head. Leaning down, her lips drew into a sinister smile that she had spent years perfecting. This smile could make weak human men cower, it could make girls swoon. This smile was her ultimate bluff and most favorite weapon. "Let's try this again. Should probably get going, yeah? Wouldn't want to make a _mess_, would we?"

Today seemed to be unlucky for her. Instead of backing down, the pale-haired boy stood. Now her leg was beside his waist, her boot still planted firmly against the wall. "I'm…not leaving." The boy's tone was firm, his glare challenging her to try to make him vacate her home.

It kind of freaked her out. The smile and the intimidating voice usually worked. If it did not scare them off, it at least made them feel weak. Teruko was not used to being challenged this way by another ghoul. Even Uta strayed from outright challenging her. "Yuudai won't like you."

"Do I…look like I care?" His mouth was in a straight line as he regarded her. The girl was shorter than him, but projected a decent amount of confidence. Just enough to make him hesitant to actually start a fight.

"You look like you couldn't give a shit about _anything_." Teruko's smile twitched into a smirk and she slammed her open hand against the wall to the left of his head. The boy did not blink; he was completely unfazed. _Fine. Brutish intimidation doesn't work? Let's see if you can handle the alternative._

Her free hand went to his chin, fingertips caressing his skin and wiping away the bloody residue from his meal. Bringing her crimson-smeared fingers to her mouth, she dragged her tongue over the blood and waited for his reaction. A "normal" ghoul would either be disgusted or enticed. This boy had no reaction other than to blink slowly.

_What's his problem? Nothing's working! I just want him to leave! If Yuudai comes back and sees-!_ Teruko's arm was gripped, her body slammed against the wall with her left cheek pressed against the soft wood. She could feel him against her back, pushing tight against her and keeping her arm pinned between them. Gritting her teeth, she was tempted to release her kagune. With him so close, they would probably pierce right through him before he could get away.

"…you can't win…" he murmured beside her ear. His breath was warm, skimming over the side of her neck. "I'm staying here."

"Ten seconds. Ten seconds to back the fuck off or I'll bring out my "wings"," the girl hissed in protest. Her nose twitched as she caught the approaching scent of her childhood friend. _No way!_

The boy seemed to pick up the scent at the same time. "Who is that?"

"My friend! Let go of me now or-!"

Yuudai appeared in the open doorway, smiling at first and then quickly scowling. Raising an eyebrow he demanded, "Teru? What're ya doin' with this thief? Don't tell me ya hooked up with him!"


	7. Chapter 7

The pale-haired boy kept a firm hold on Teruko as he met the newcomer's gaze. He vaguely recognized him from the fight earlier. This boy had been a spectator, hanging out with a group of three girls. He remembered Teruko calling him "Yuudai". His mouth set in a firm line, he considered his options.

There were two of them and they seemed to be in good health. He was still recovering from his fight. Teruko had already alluded to what type of kagune she had. It would be a bad idea to attempt to fight her now, let alone both of them.

The idea of escaping did cross his mind, but as he had told Teruko, he had no wish to leave. There was food and shelter. Two things that he would need until he was well enough to move on. As the boy called Yuudai took a step toward them, he leaned down to Teruko's ear. "Tell him…that everything's fine. Or I'll make you regret it," he murmured.

She tensed, teeth gritted in frustration. The girl was rather brave and she seemed quite intelligent. If she really wanted to, he was sure that she could probably take him down before her friend even got close. Something was making her hesitate.

When the boy saw her face, he caught a redness in her cheeks and remembered that he was pressing against her back. He took a step away from her, subtly letting her arm free. His eyes went to Yuudai. The indigo-haired boy was taller than him with broad shoulders and a well-muscled build. Not exactly a good opponent to have to face in his current state.

"So what's this thief doin' here, Teru? Ya know how I feel about ya bringin' guys home! And why _this_ guy?!" Yuudai stepped toward them again, looking from Teruko to the pale-haired ghoul.

Teruko, now freed, grimaced and rubbed the back of her neck as she looked at her friend. "Didn't hook up with him, for starters." She glanced to her new acquaintance and the corner of her lips lifted. "My new friend. Was looking hungry so I invited him for some food. Going hunting tomorrow anyway; might as well clear out the old meat, yeah? Get you something nice and fresh tomorrow. I promise."

"Is _that_ it?" The indigo-haired ghoul raised an eyebrow and grinned. Crossing the space, he grabbed both of the other boy's hands and shook them. "Alright. Any friend of Teru's is a friend of mine; just how it works. Ya got a name, thief?"

Slightly irked at being more or less tricked into giving his name, he scowled up at Yuudai. "…Renji…"

"Enji, huh? Good to meet ya!"

"It's…_Renji_," he corrected him.

"Well maybe if ya didn't mumble, I'd hear ya right the first time, huh? Oh! Teru, I got somethin' for ya from Itori-chan!"

Renji watched the two interact as he leaned his back against the wall. He could tell right away what their dynamic seemed to be. The tall boy had romantic feelings toward Teruko, but she seemed to regard him only as a friend. As Yuudai dug in his bag and produced some cans of chilled coffee, Renji saw excitement rise to Teruko's face.

"Wow. Don't think I've seen these brands before. Are they from this ward?" She examined the labels on the cans, a half-grin pulling at her lips.

"Itori-chan said she had some friends get 'em from other wards. Said she wanted to see ya tomorrow." Yuudai frowned and pushed his hands into his pockets. "Said Uta's gonna wanna see ya, too. What's your deal with him anyway?"

"Doesn't concern you. I'm not going to ask about what you did with Itori-chan today." Teruko looked to Renji now and saw him watching her. Quirking an eyebrow, she held up a can of coffee and let her half-grin evolve into a smirk. "Renji, right? Here you go!"

**Shift P.O.V**

When she saw him standing against the wall, she know that he had decided not to start a fight. _I figured as much. Yuudai's pretty intimidating to strangers._ She saw him catch the can of coffee that she had tossed to him and caught the way his brow furrowed. "For you. Already got one from that brand; it's a double. Can spare you just _one_ so ration it."

He stared at her for a moment before sitting on the floor. From the firm look on his face and the stubborn gleam in his eye, Teruko was able to discern that he still had absolutely no intention of leaving her home. She turned to see Yuudai's expression, half-expecting him to snap at the boy, but it appeared that he had lost interest in her new acquaintance.

_Why did Yuudai keep calling him a thief?_ She took her gifts and settled on the floor across from Renji, bringing out her notebook. There was a small section marked by a neon pink sticker and she flipped to it. This was the reason why she had been so excited to receive the coffee; her hobby. She enjoyed trying different roasts and brands of coffee and then making notes to compare them. Her ultimate quest for the perfect coffee.

As she scribbled notes about the names and labels, she caught sight of her pale-haired companion staring at her again. Yuudai had wandered out of the room, presumably to use the restroom, so she was left alone with the stranger. She felt uncomfortable after their earlier encounter, but now he was outnumbered so she felt a bit more confident.

"So…what'd you steal then? Yuudai keeps calling you a thief. Is that what got you roughed up?" Teruko kept her voice soft, not wanting to draw her friend back to the room.

"…I took food…" he muttered, inadvertently looking toward his bag.

She followed his gaze and tilted her head. "Don't hunt for yourself? Got a defect or something?" When he went silent, she scowled. "Listen. You want to stay here? Want food? Going to have be civil, yeah? Friendly like. So we'll try again. My dear friend Renji, why were you stealing food?"

He bristled at the way she spoke, but did not move to attack. Instead, he drew his legs to his chest and frowned. "I…_scavenge_."

"Scavenge? What? Like a raven or a raccoon?" she teased. The girl had looked away to continue her notes, but when he failed to respond, she turned her gaze back to him. Exhaustion was clear in his eyes as well pain. Not from his injuries. She knew this sort of pain quite well; a loneliness and loss.

Continuing her notes, Teruko opted to distract him. "So! Far as Yuudai knows, you and I are friends now, got it?"

"…fine…" He spoke without feeling. Simply going along with what she said.

"Tomorrow night, I'm leaving to do a quick job. Need a good lookout. Can earn your keep by going along. Won't make you kill any humans or anything. Just need someone to watch my back."

"Why would you trust me? You…hardly know me."

She blinked and looked to the boy with a frown. "Need to trust the company you keep, Renji. Just how it is. Have to trust me, too, right? Why'd you decide that you wanted to stay here anyway? Be easier to just run."

His mouth twisted in displeasure at her question. "You…helped me. And you didn't even know who I was…or what I'd done. Why?"

Closing her notebook, she released a soft sigh. "You needed help. I don't know." It was perplexing because Teruko had left plenty of ghouls to die in the past. Death by CCG investigators, death by starvation, death by cannibalism or other ghoul. She had not put much thought into it before, but now she was questioning why she had saved him.

_He doesn't seem special. He has pale hair and eyes, but…that's it. So __**why**__? Why did I help him? Why am I letting him stay here when I could probably force him to leave now that Yuudai is here?_ She saw his expression soften and the boy covered a yawn. Seeing such a gentle look on his face, Teruko felt a stirring in her chest. Her heart skipped a beat and she chewed at her thumbnail.

"So tomorrow, yeah? You're coming with me."

"…alright…" he conceded.

The sleeping arrangements in the room were odd. Teruko was surprised that their new "friend" had not wandered off into the rest of the building to find his own space, but he had opted to stay in the room with them. She slept in her usual spot, on her bed of blankets. Yuudai slept against the wall across from her in a tattered sleeping bag. Renji settled himself in a corner and slept sitting upright.

She found him still propped against the wall, head bowed, and she could only imagine how much his neck would hurt when he woke up. _Was he afraid of Yuudai turning on him in the middle of the night?_ She quickly realized that, from the way he was positioned, he would have been facing her instead of the other boy. It almost made her laugh. _Does he think I'm a bigger threat?_

Noticing that he had no blankets, Teruko frowned and scratched the back of her head. Silently going to her makeshift bed, she fetched a blanket and gently settled it over him to the best of her ability. _Looks pretty tired. Starving and exhausted? I know that feeling._ She slipped on a jacket and looked to Yuudai. The larger boy was still sleeping like the dead and snoring quietly in his sleeping bag.

As she left the building, she looked first to the sky. It was overcast; dark gray clouds blocking out the morning light and threatening to drench the world below in rain. Clouds made for good hunting weather, but not rain. Silently praying for the storm to not come, she went around to the front of the building and stopped dead in her tracks.

Uta waved sheepishly from his perched on the fence across the street. His mouth was drawn up into a smile as he hopped down, clearly delighted to see her. As he crossed the street to approach her, his amusement only seemed to grow. "Are you going out?"

The girl's gray-green eyes met his black and red ones before flicking to the various bandages he was wearing. The boy's knuckles were wrapped, but the bandaging seemed to go up his forearms. There was a scrape on his cheek and a bandage on the side of his neck. "Something happen to you?"

"Someone stole some meat yesterday and I had to fight him. He was really strong. I bet he was as strong as you are." Walking beside her, he looked quite pleased with himself. "I hope I can fight him again; it was a lot of fun. Teruko, next time we should both-" Uta cut himself off, sniffing at the air.

She tensed and tried to step away, but his hand caught the girl by the front of her jacket. Teruko's face heated as he leaned in, sniffing at her neck and then the fabric of her clothes. When he lifted her hand, he started to smile. "Uta?"

"You were with him, weren't you? You've got a strange scent on you. I almost didn't notice it, but it's another male ghoul, right? And it doesn't smell like Yuudai. Where did you see him?" He sounded extremely excited to look for Renji.


	8. Chapter 8

NeonHorizon: A quick thanks to everyone that leaves reviews. They really make my day.

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"Where'd I see _who_?" Teruko fought down a blush as Uta leaned in closer, his face stopping inches from hers. His left hand was holding her right one up, his right hand still gripping the front of her jacket tightly to prevent escape. _Too close. I hate this. What's there to blush about? Like I've never been around a boy._

His lips were curled into an excited grin as he brought her hand to the side of his face. Her fingertips skimmed over his cheek and finally moved closer to his nose. Sniffing again, the lingering aroma of Renji seemed to energize him. "You saw the thief. So where's he hiding?"

She tried to take a step back, meeting his grin with a puzzled frown. Bluffing was one of her specialties after all so if she could play dumb well enough, it might really convince him. "Ah, let's see. Pale hair and gray eyes, yeah? Looks a little roughed up? Shabby clothes?"

"That's him."

"Mm." Teruko gave a nod and he leaned in just a bit closer. When she met those red and black eyes, she saw an absolutely terrifying amount of excitement and hope. _He really wants to see Renji. So why've I got a sick feeling that I've gotta keep them apart?_ She blinked slowly. "A bit close, aren't you?"

"Hm? Does it make you nervous?"

"Just hard to balance."

It was after she said this that he seemed to realize that, in leaning in so close to her, she was forced to lean back to avoid their faces actually meeting. She was putting most of her weight on her left leg, which was planted behind her. Uta straightened his posture and pulled her with him. "So where is he?"

"Saw him near the edge of the ward," she replied simply. This was not a lie. It had been a task and a half to carry him back to her building while navigating the back alleys of the fourth ward. "Looked pretty ragged. Asked for directions to a place in the third ward." Here was the lie. "Went limping off after that."

"Oh." Uta released her hand as well as her jacket. Stepping back from her, his disappointment showed clearly in his frown and gaze. Fidgeting with one of his ear piercings, he seemed genuinely distraught that Renji might have left the fourth ward. "So what'd you think of him?"

"What? I guess, he seemed kind of quiet. Didn't say much and his voice was quiet," Teruko answered. "Why?"

"I don't know." Uta walked beside her when she started down the sidewalk, a sheepish smile settling on his face. "He's kind of cute, right?"

"Cute?" She rubbed the back of her neck and glanced over to see that he was waiting for her answer. "Ah. I guess so. Not exactly _classic_ good looks; more like a scruffy puppy you'd find on the side of a road."

"Those are usually dead."

"Mm. Yeah, but I mean the ones that are in boxes. Come running up, wagging their tails and wanting you to pet them. I guess he's not really like that. Seemed like he didn't like people much." Tilting her head back, she sighed and ran her fingers through her dark hair. "Guy like that doesn't seem like he'd be good with girls, you know. Good luck to him, wherever he ends up."

Talking about her new acquaintance made her think about him. He was asleep when she left the building; propped up in his corner and sleeping with his head bowed. _He was watching me sleep. Like he doesn't trust me. Didn't even care about Yuudai, did he?_ A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of the boy watching her through the night.

**Shift P.O.V**

"Hey! C'mon, Enji! Ya want breakfast?"

He was rudely brought to consciousness by Yuudai nudging his side with the toe of his boot. Glaring up at the boy, he saw that Yuudai was actually offering him a slice of fresh, bloody meat from a stack wrapped in brown paper. He grudgingly accepted the food and waited for the indigo-haired boy to start eating before he took his first bite. It tasted and smelled normal enough.

Settling on his sleeping bag, Yuudai dug around in the cooler near him for a couple of water bottles. He rolled one to Renji and helped himself to the other one. "How'd ya sleep? Warm enough over there?"

Renji was chewing and frowned at the question. "I'm fine."

"Looks like Teru left ya a blanket before she left."

"Where is she?" He glanced to the pile of blankets that seemed to function as her bed. Remembering the previous night's evens, he felt a strange sinking sort of sensation. Whether it was due to anxiety from his new situation or indigestion from eating too fast the night before, he was unsure. It just unsettled him.

Wiping blood from his mouth, Yuudai grinned. "Teru's got work. She does odd jobs to get us money." Catching Renji's criticizing stare, his grin fell. "Hey, I'd help if I could; I'm just the muscle! She's got the brains so she takes care of everythin'!"

The pale-haired ghoul began to realize that he had been right to watch her instead of her friend. She had a decently intimidating presence. Not enough to scare him, but enough to make him wary. However, despite her power and intelligence, she was kind. It was clear that, even though he was imposing on them and forcing her to let him stay, she did care for his wellbeing.

Bowing his head, he licked blood from his lips. "Why…are you being nice? You don't even know me."

The taller boy loudly tore a bite from his chunk of food and chewed as he regarded Renji. "I mean, Teru likes ya. That's already reason enough. And I like ya. You're quiet and ya don't look like the type to go pickin' fights! Just the kinda guy Teru oughta be hangin' out with instead of that demon Uta!"

"…Uta…?"

Yuudai scoffed. "Ya know that _freak_ with the bleached hair and the weird fuckin' sunglasses? The guy ya stole from yesterday? That's Uta; he's the leader 'round here! I fuckin' hate the way he looks at people! We're all ghouls, ya know, and he's lookin' at me like I'm a _human_ or somethin'! I'm not food! He tries to take a bite outta me, I'm gonna send Teru after him and see how he likes it!"

Renji lifted his gaze to the boarded up window across the room and narrowed his eyes. No sunlight was coming in, despite the cracks in the wood. "…what time is it…?"

"Huh? It's around noon. Why? Ya got plans?"

"Teruko wants me to go…somewhere…with her," he answered. He tried to keep it vague because it was clear that Yuudai already had the wrong idea about his relationship with the female ghoul. Although Renji had to wonder if it made Yuudai like him more.

"Speak the devil's name and he shall appear." The voice was female and came from just beyond the doorway. Teruko stepped into view and smirked at the two boys. "Getting along then?"

"Enji said he's got plans with ya, Teru. What's goin' on? Gonna invite me?" Yuudai remained sitting on his sleeping bag, tearing off a fresh bite of meat from the piece he was holding.

"Thought it was "Ren"," the girl joked. She looked to the brown paper at his side and raised an eyebrow. Yuudai dug around in the food to get her a prime piece of meat to snack on and she settled on the mess of blankets across the room.

"…it's _Renji_…" he murmured, his gaze locking with hers.

Teruko had bitten into the meat and now she had blood running down her chin. Wiping at it with a hand, she continued to smirk. "Hm. So where'd this meat come from, Yuudai?"

Renji listened to them talk for a moment. Apparently Yuudai had gone to see someone called "Itori" before he woke up and a group of girls had given the food to Yuudai as a gift. A glance at Teruko brought on that sinking feeling in his stomach once more. She was licking blood from her fingers, having finished her meal, and was looking at Yuudai until she seemed to sense his stare.

"Yuudai, shirt."

"What?! C'mon, Teru! I don't wanna get stains on this one!"

"Already got plenty of coffee stains. Hand. It. Over. Not going to ask again." She glared at the taller ghoul, eyes briefly shifting to black and red in a silent threat. It worked. Yuudai soon tossed the shirt to Teruko and she approached Renji with it. "Alright. Now you."

Renji glared up at her, scowling. He had no idea what she wanted him to do, but he felt strangely flustered. The boy's eyes darted to Yuudai for a second. The other ghoul was sitting on his sleeping bag, shirtless, and simply shrugged in response. "…what…?"

Teruko leaned down so her face was a few inches from his. Since his back was to the wall, there was no way for him to lean back to escape. A small, but strong, hand gripped the front of his shirt and she half-grinned. "Gotta strip. You smell too much like yourself. Need your help tonight so you, my dear friend Renji, have got to comply. Got Yuudai's shirt, complete with fresh Yuudai scent, and I'll get you some of my pants. Don't think his will fit."

The pale-haired ghoul continued to stare at her. She was too close. He could still see some blood smeared at the corner of the mischievous grin on her face. "And if I don't?"

"Enji, it's a losin' battle. If ya don't do what she wants, she'll just tear those off of ya. Better to save yourself a shirt and just do it," Yuudai spoke up. He looked from Renji to Teruko and grimaced. Running a hand over his indigo-colored peach fuzz, he sighed. "Teru, back off. Ya got that pervy look on your face again."

Renji was grateful for Yuudai's intervention. Hearing him describe her face as "pervy" seemed to make her back off. She let go of his shirt and he released a breath he had not realized that he was holding in. The girl turned away and rummaged in the bag beside her "bed" before throwing a pair of pants and a belt to him.

He found a smaller room elsewhere in the building and looked to the clothes. The shirt was a thermal with long sleeves. The sleeves had coffee stains and smelled strongly of the other boy. The pants looked to be about his size and gave off the girl's scent. To another ghoul that just passed by him, he would smell really confusing. At least he would have somewhat cleaner clothes though.

Once he was dressed, he frowned. The shirt was loose on him and the sleeves were a little too long, but Teruko's pants fit him almost perfectly. _Why does she wear men's clothes?_


	9. Chapter 9

NeonHorizon: If you're new to reading my stuff, let me explain. Every tenth chapter of a series, I like to do something a little bit special. I don't currently have a plan, but I'm leaning toward a spark of romance...

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_Female human, early thirties. Waist-length black hair. Green eyes. Both ears pierced, always wears red lipstick, has a scar on the top of her left hand and keeps her nails manicured. Occupation is a clerk in a book store._ Teruko absently licked her lips, thinking about how to go about her task.

This target was different from the usual middle-aged man or college-age boy. She typically got orders from jealous ghouls or ghouls that had been betrayed in some way and wanted revenge. The targets were usually rough-looking or rather attractive. This woman was, with the exception of her scar and lipstick, ordinary.

"Where are we going?"

She shifted her eyes from the paper in her hands to the boy walking beside her. They had successfully made it out of the fourth ward without drawing attention to themselves and, as far as she could tell, Uta had not followed them. "Going to a book store."

Renji frowned and tugged at his hood, pulling it forward more to bring his face deeper into the shadows. "…book store…?"

"You know…you're really too quiet." She smirked and turned to look at him more closely. _Is he just bashful or is he nervous?_ _He keeps messing with his hood. _Tucking away the order again, she pushed her hands into her pockets. "Renji. What's something you like?"

The question seemed to puzzle him. His frown deepened and she tilted her head. "Something I like?"

"What puts a smile on Renji's face? Hm?"

Turning his face to the side, he scowled. "Nothing can make me smile."

"Ah. Brooding type, huh?" She led the way down the sidewalk. As they approached the shopping district, Teruko reached over to take his hand so they would stay together. The second that her skin touched his, he recoiled. She kept a tight hold and grimaced in response. "Calm down. Not trying to hit on you."

"…not your type…?" he mumbled.

The way he said it made her sense that he meant something more. Pushing dark strands of hair away from her eyes, she let her eyes scan the various shops along the street. "What do you mean by that?" She asked this, but she was only half paying attention at this point. _Where is it? It's Yamaguchi Books, right?_

"You…prefer to be called a girl, right? Yuudai-"

"I _am_ a girl. Might like girls sometimes, but I'm still a girl." She spotted the book store and began leading him toward it. "Alright. What I need from you is silence and stealth, alright? Follow us at a distance. I'll take care of the messy work and you just have to keep people away. Think you can manage?"

**Shift P.O.V**

_Why do I need to be here?_ Renji had followed her into the book store, but kept his distance. He had no desire to be there. If he had any say in it, he would have stayed behind and tried to heal a little more so he could challenge the blond ghoul again. However, Teruko had made it obvious that if he resisted, he would be forcibly thrown out of her hideout.

The building was old and shabby, but it was warm. There was food there. Yuudai seemed like an okay sort of person. The real problem was Teruko. He had to question how strong she really was since Yuudai seemed to almost be afraid of her.

He watched from the corner of his eye as she carefully selected a book and approached the clerk. She was wearing that smile. The same one she had worn when she had tried to persuade him into leaving. It seemed to be working though because the woman she approached began to flush pink and beam.

Teruko maintained her smile as she leaned in close to the woman, her lips moving as she made the woman start to giggle. When he saw her reach for the human's hand, he raised an eyebrow. Teruko lifted the hand, placing a kiss to a deep scar that marred her flesh. _What is she doing?_

Just as Renji began to wonder if the woman knew that Teruko was female, his attention was drawn to her clothes. The ghoul was wearing boys' jeans and a baggy sweater with a loose black scarf. She looked like an effeminate young man. Whether this was on purpose or by coincidence, he did not know. All he knew was that his ambiguous new acquaintance was now leading the thirty-something year old human out of the book store by the hand.

**Shift P.O.V**

_And just like that, it's done._ Teruko turned to look at Renji over her shoulder. He was standing at the mouth of the alley and casually watching. Tucking away the meat from her kill, as well as the woman's scarred severed hand, she approached him. "Want your share now or later?"

"…later…" The pale-haired boy silently walked with her out of the alley and the two started back toward the fourth ward.

"Just need to drop these off at the client's house and then we can go home." She licked her lips, thinking about how good the meat would taste. The target had been a healthy human with no tattoos so the food was sure to be good.

"You…were just hitting on her." His voice was low as he spoke, trying not to draw attention to them.

A glance over showed him frowning within his hood. Teruko ruffled her dark hair and raised an eyebrow. "So?"

"It doesn't bother you?"

"Should it? Love and death go hand in hand, yeah? Besides, humans aren't my type. Not into playing with my food like that." She looked over again and saw him still wearing that frown. "Might think it's cold, but let me tell you; it's not. I'm not the inhumane one here. _They_ are."

"You…hate humans."

"More than just simply "hating" them. Look. They've all got the same look on on their face, the same bland thoughts in their heads. Like a hive mind. Like a herd of cows. Not my fault if they're easy to fool. That woman today? No idea what she did to piss someone off. All I know is that she's going to feed me for a few days and I'm getting paid."

Renji bowed his head as thunder rumbled overhead. "…Teruko…"

"Think about it rationally, yeah? What I'm doing is _saving_ them! Just going to die anyway; everyone does eventually. Giving her a purpose by using the meat." She reached to his sleeve, gripping it tightly. "Think I'm a monster now, Renji? Take a look at them. Know what they think of us? We're monsters just because of our diet. I didn't ask to be born this way. They'd have me killed without a second thought so why shouldn't I give them a reason? If they're going to hate me, I might as well give them a reason to hate."

A silence settled between the two ghouls as Teruko fumed and Renji soaked in the information she had inadvertently provided him with. The boy knew now how intensely she despised humans and he also knew that something must have happened to her personally. When he finally spoke up, he saw her biting her thumbnail.

The rest of their walk to the client's house was silent. Teruko was busy thinking about the past and she was sure that Renji had his own worries. She was brief and professional when dealing with the client. Some meat was handed over, along with the severed hand, and she was given her payment.

_Everyone wants someone else dead_, she thought as she started the walk home. Her quiet companion was alongside her, his head bowed and eyes narrowed. _We all hate. We all want someone else to suffer and die. That's life. So who does he want dead? Where did he even come from?_

"Is the target always human?" he mumbled, drawing her attention.

"Usually. Not always. Killed my fair share of ghouls. One time it was livestock. A man wanted his neighbors to suffer so he had me slaughter their farm animals. Didn't like that one; got nothing against animals."

Rain began to fall and she bowed her head, chewing at her lip. "Think I'm twisted, don't you? Bet you think I'm a cold-hearted monster, thinking this way."

"…I don't think that…"

"Hm? Why not? My own clients think it. Heard people call me a monster. Other ghouls have called me a monster. Why shouldn't you think I'm one?" She saw him rub the back of his neck, his hand disappearing into his hood to do so.

"A monster…would have left me to die," he quietly explained.

Her lips twisted into a smirk and she tilted her head back. Cool drops of rain fell upon her face, sliding down her neck and wetting her dark hair. "Oh, my dear friend Renji. Don't know what kind of flattery that is. Might just make me blush. Here I thought _I_ was a charmer."

He saw the look on her face, but was undeterred. The boy's expression was plain, neutral, as he regarded his companion. "Teruko…what do you really want?"

Teruko watched him from the corner of her eye, afraid that if she looked directly at him then he might see it. The girl's eyes might give away everything; her losses, her pain, her past. "Me? I'm just along to back up Yuudai. Don't really want much of anything, myself. Maybe some coffee, hm? Be a good way to warm up."

Yuudai greeted them with a frown when they returned to the hideout. "Itori-chan came lookin' for ya, Teru. Where've ya been?"

"Working. What've _you_ been doing while I was gone?" She regarded the boy's half-zipped sleeping bag and quirked an eyebrow. "Yuudai?"

"I didn't do nothin'," he protested. "Ya need warmin' up? It's rainin' buckets out there!" The boy stood and rubbed at his still very short hair as he looked at the two shorter ghouls.

"Don't need warming up from you," she retorted. Teruko crouched to dig through her bag and grabbed an armful of clothes. Tucking them to her chest, she grabbed Renji's arm and pulled him out of the room.

"Hey! Teru, what're ya-?!" Yuudai tried to follow them and froze when she gave him an icy stare. Putting up his hands, he took a step back into the bedroom. "Yeah, yeah! Okay! Don't gotta get out your "wings", Teru; I hear ya!"

Once they were in a small room on the other side of the building, she set the clothes down and gave Renji an expectant look. "Pick a shirt and pants. Shirt might be a bit tight, but Yuudai's shirts fit you like a dress." To her disappointment, he settled on the first two things that he picked up. "Alright then."

Renji was a bit alarmed when she snatched up a different shirt and pants. She turned her back to him and began peeling off her wet shirt. When she failed to hear him move, the girl looked at him over her shoulder. He turned his head to the side, his hair hiding a faint pink tint to his cheeks. "What are you doing?"

"Changing. Like you should be. Don't worry; I won't peek. You're not my type." She looked forward again as heat rose to her face. _Was he blushing? And what was with that look on his face?_


	10. Chapter 10

Teruko was drawn from sleep by a combination of things. The first was Yuudai's snoring. She was half-asleep as she glared across the room at his sleeping bag, contemplating throwing a boot at him to wake him up. As she considered how he might react, she felt consciousness fully take hold at the sensation of warmth pressed against her back.

The girl tensed, nose twitching as she sniffed at the air. She was lying on her side, facing Yuudai, so she would need to see what was happening. Though she could already tell by the scent. Still, she decided to look over her shoulder at Renji. His sleeping face was much less intense than his conscious face. _He almost looks cute_, she thought to herself.

He moved a bit, his face nuzzling into the back of her shoulder. This was Renji's third night with them. The first, he had slept sitting up in the corner. The second, he had claimed an actual sleeping spot against the wall and had his own blanket. Now, it seemed that he had been too cold.

Teruko closed her eyes and nestled into her bed of blankets once more. Her pulse was a bit faster than usual, but she was not about to kick him out. _He's just happy to have a place to live_, she decided with a flicker of empathy._ When we leave the fourth ward, maybe I'll ask him if he wants to stay with us. He's strong; he survived fighting Uta. And Yuudai likes him enough._

When she woke again, she was alone in the bed. Yuudai was still snoring off to the side and she roused him by nudging his side. He blinked up at her and mumbled for her to leave him alone before turning away and pulling his face into the dark depths of the sleeping bag.

_Where's Renji?_ She pulled a hooded sweatshirt on over the tank top she had slept in and quietly ventured out of the room. _Did he go looking for the bathroom or something? I told him where it…_Her eyes widened as she reached the doorway to one of the smaller rooms.

He was sitting on the floor, just below the windowsill, and had his legs tucked to his chest with his arms wrapped around himself. The boy had his head bowed so that his hair fell over his eyes, but his frown was perfectly visible.

This room that he had chosen was different from most of the others. While the windows in all other rooms had been boarded up, this one had a large window that was completely open. Of course, this was the same room she had once found Uta standing in so she suspected that Uta had removed the boards himself. Morning light was entering the room through the window and it cast a warm glow upon the far wall.

"Hey. You alright?" Teruko inquired, tilting her head.

Lifting his gaze, his frown deepened and he turned his head to the side. "I'm…fine," he stated with hesitation.

The girl entered the room regardless and settled on the floor beside him. The female ghoul leaned her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes. "Know what? Sometimes, I get some pretty fucked up nightmares. So bad, I kick and scream and one time I even hurt Yuudai. Nightmares suck. Don't know why you're down, but I won't make you talk about it. We're friends, yeah? So just know I'm here for you, Renji."

"…it wasn't a nightmare…it was a _memory_…" Renji's voice was soft; just above a whisper. The melancholic tone of his words perfectly matched the boy's forlorn expression. "I…don't want to talk about it."

"That's fine." Teruko sat with him for a moment longer before she stood and stretched her arms over her head. "Mindful of the windows, alright? Wouldn't want someone seeing you," she reminded him.

The female ghoul got her bag from the sleeping room and decided to set off for the convenience store. They were out of coffee and water bottles and asking Yuudai to get some would be a chore. Being unable to read, he had basically no concept of price differences and tended to overspend.

The store was fairly empty of customers. She grabbed her items quickly and wanted to return to the hideout without incident. It was as she stepped outside that an incident popped up. The girl met eyes with Itori first and then shifted to Uta's sunglasses. "Ah. G'morning."

"Hey, T-chan!" Itori waved from her seat on the curb across the street and stood. "What's up? You have plans today?"

"Need to drop off some groceries," she explained. The thought of spending the day with either of these two attractive ghouls her age made her heart race.

Uta stood as well now and approached her with Itori walking slightly behind him. "We should-" The boy went silent and he sniffed at the air. A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth and he tilted his head slightly. "You smell that?"

"Smell what?" Teruko adjusted her grip on the plastic shopping bag.

"I don't-" Itori took a step closer to Teruko and she half-grinned. "Mm~ Yeah that smells pretty good. What is it?"

The dark-haired girl could feel herself beginning to sweat a little. Her pulse was quick and erratic. She looked from Itori to Uta, trying to maintain a calm and cool expression on her face. Locking her gaze with Uta's, she raised an eyebrow. "Hm? Don't know what you're talking about. Maybe it's the coffee?"

"It smells better than coffee." Itori's arms slid around her waist from behind, sniffing at the side of her neck. "It smells really good~"

Teruko tensed when she felt Itori's nose trace along the side of her neck and she started to flush pink. _Calm down! Need to stay calm! It's just my scent; it's not like she's hitting on me! _She felt the girl's chest press against her back and seconds later, blood ran from her nose. _Seriously?!_ Teruko lifted a hand to try to stop the blood and her wrist was grabbed by the other ghoul.

Uta stared down at her from over the rim of his sunglasses. His free hand went to her hair, lifting a lock of it and bringing it close to his face. "You smell delicious," he quietly remarked. "I just want a taste…"

The short-haired girl snickered from behind Teruko and held her tighter. "Awww! Uta, you're calling dibs on her?"

_I can't handle this!_ Teruko tore free from them both and almost released her kagune in the moment of panic. Turning to face her two crushes, she knew that her face was probably bright red. Blood was still running from her nose. "Don't know what you're both on about, but I've got to take these groceries back!"

She turned around and began to run. There were few things that could make Teruko flee, but this was all too much for her to handle. Wiping her nose on her sleeve, she knew that she had to hide. Going back to her hideout was out of the question; they would instantly know that Renji was there.

The girl found an alley and ducked into it, sprinting toward the other end and hoping to misdirect them from simply going back to her hideout. Teruko continued to run, sticking to alleys, until she finally had to rest. Leaning against a wall, she closed her eyes and tried to catch her breath. _Is this how it feels when Yuudai and I fight over a girl? Itori said something about calling dibs. What'd she even mean by that? Like someone as cute as her would be into someone like me!_

A hand slammed against the bricks to her right, planting beside her head. Teruko felt a hand beneath her chin, fingertips gently digging into her jaw. Warm breath fanned over the side of her neck and she felt her heart skip a beat. She dropped her bag onto the ground and put her hands up to try to push away the other ghoul, but a hand gripped both of her wrists and pinned them above her head.

"You smell really good," Uta spoke. "What would you do if I took a bite?"

"Rip out your heart," she snarled in response. Teruko's eyes snapped open when she felt a knee wedge between her thighs. "Ngh. Off. Now."

"I want you to make me." He lifted his face to meet her stare and he liked the ferocity of her gaze. Leaning his head down, the male ghoul's lips skimmed over her collarbone. "You've got his scent all over you."

"Can't help who I run into." Her only hope now was to put her bluffing skills to use. If she could just convince Uta that she had merely crossed paths with the pale-haired ghoul, he might let it go. Though it was hard to focus when his body was pressed so close to hers, his leg still pressed between hers and his lips now caressing her sensitive skin while he took in her scent.

He abruptly stopped and drew his face back to meet her gray-green eyes. The hand holding her chin shifted, tenderly rubbing her cheek. "I like you." The excitement was growing in his voice as he smiled sheepishly. "I like your scent, but it's different with his. You smell irresistible."

These words sent a rush of heat through her entire body, seeming to settle at the spot where his thigh was now rubbing between hers. _Renji's scent makes me irresistible? Does he swing that way? Thought he wanted him dead, but does Uta want Renji for some other reason?_ Heart pounding, she tried to fight back the blush that rose to her cheeks.

"Do you like me?"

"What?"

"Do you like me?" he repeated. Uta drew a bit closer, his leg pressing tighter between hers. "You've got his scent all over you. Maybe you like him?"

_Do I like him? Like Renji? Renji's just a friend. Right? _She remembered the warmth of his chest pressed against her back, just earlier that morning. The peaceful look on his face when he slept. This was closely followed by the forlorn expression he had worn when she found him in the other room, sitting alone.

"Why do you think I'd like him?" she challenged.

Uta blinked in surprise and grinned sheepishly again. "You said he was cute," he teased. "You like him? The raven?"

_Raven?_ Teruko considered how to answer that when Uta leaned down. Teeth scraped over her neck and she reacted instantly. His hand tightened around her wrists when she moved, nearly popping her arms from their sockets as she twisted. Teruko's leg hooked around his, managing to knock him onto his rear on the ground, and she straddled him to pin him down.

Still holding her wrists, Uta stared up at her in amazement for a second before his grin returned. His free hand lifted, threading through her dark hair. "You're fun."

"Don't like him the way you think," she finally replied, face heating to red. "Raven's okay, but not my type."

"So what's your type? You like girls like Itori?"

Her chest felt tight as she gritted her teeth and forced herself to meet his curious stare. "Wouldn't usually go for ones like Itori, but she's cute. My type…I like…guys that are cool," she managed to say. Taking a deep breath, she leaned down close and brought her face inches from his. "I…like you."


	11. Chapter 11

The blankets were warm and comfortable, despite the harshness of the floor beneath him. He was just waking up when he realized that he must have slept in. Teruko was gone. The blankets still held the female ghoul's scent, but the added warmth from her body was no longer there.

_I need to get up before Yuudai does._ Renji had been sharing Teruko's makeshift bed for the past three nights now. As hesitant as he was to get so close to her, she provided comfort. He always made sure that his companions were asleep before he slipped into her bed and he tried to make sure that he was out before they woke up. The ghoul had no desire to have them tease him.

Before he could push the covers back to get up, he felt cold metal press against his neck and jolted fully awake. Renji sat upright, eyes narrowing and readying himself to fight off danger. Instead of danger, however, he found Yuudai crouching beside the bed and smirking. In his hand, he held a can of chilled coffee.

"Have a good sleep, Enji?"

"…it's Renji…"

"Teru's nice and warm, huh? She let ya spoon with her?" Yuudai offered the can of coffee and sat back with his own, cracking it open to take a long sip of the bitter beverage. "Never lets _me_ do that, ya know. She'd tear my head off!"

The pale-haired ghoul stared at him warily before opening his can of coffee. "What do you mean "spoon"?"

"It's like ya sleep behind her and have your arms around her. It's like sleepin' and huggin'." He chugged the rest of his coffee and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. "I've done it with other girls. I gotta tell ya, Enji, it feels pretty damn good! So did she let ya?"

He took a small sip of coffee, mulling over Yuudai's words. "No. She…doesn't know that I slept with her," he admitted.

The other ghoul raised an eyebrow and then released a heavy sigh. Leaning his head back against the wall, the boy grimaced. "Ya know, Enji, I'm rootin' for ya. But ya _gotta_ put in more effort. Never gonna get a girl actin' like ya are."

Renji narrowed his eyes, but remained silent. He had to admit that he did like Teruko. He also liked Yuudai. They were extremely accepting of him and protective. They were warm towards him and they made sure that he ate good quality meat. If he was more sentimental, he might even consider them his friends.

As far as liking Teruko as a girl, it was difficult to judge how he felt about her. She was ruthless, cool, and dominant towards him and Yuudai. She was relatively pretty as a girl and made an attractive boy when she was trying to seduce humans. Renji admired her, but the thought of sleeping with her the way that Yuudai had suggested gave him mixed feelings.

"Ya wanna impress her? I know what kinda guys she likes. I can help ya. So ya wanna know what ya can do to impress Teru?"

Deciding to humor him, Renji shrugged. It could only help him, after all. If he impressed her, she might even get him his own bed. It would probably better than sleeping beside her. While it kept him warm, it did make him feel a pang of sadness. It reminded him of sleeping next to his sister when he was much younger.

Yuudai grinned and leaned forward. "Alright! Knew I could count on ya! She likes tough guys that can hold their own in a fight so what ya gotta do is challenge that demon Uta to another fight!"

This piqued his interest. His previous fight with the blond ghoul had been a real challenge. He was not used to such a strong opponent so it bordered on actually being fun. "I…wanted to challenge him anyway."

"There ya go! See? Just gotta make sure she watches ya in action, Enji, and you'll win her over! I saw ya fight last time; you're pretty good."

Renji tapped a fingertip against the side of the can, feeling the condensation moisten his skin. He glanced from the can of coffee to Yuudai and saw an absurd amount of hope in the taller boy's eyes. _Win her over? Do I want to win her over? She's kind of scary. She said I'm not her type. I don't really care if I'm her type though; I just like living here._

"Why…do you want me to win her over…?" he asked with hesitation.

"Are ya _serious_?! I don't want her goin' off with that demon Uta! That prick thinks he can just come along and take her like she's up for grabs. Just 'cause he's stronger than me. You're up there with him and Teru in strength so I know ya can pull her away from that creep!" Yuudai ran his hands over his very short indigo hair and sighed. "I don't wanna have to let her go…if she picks a guy like him."

**Shift P.O.V**

Three days had passed since Teruko told Uta that she liked him. In those days, she went out on one job and spent the other day walking around the fourth ward picking fights with the biggest and strongest ghouls she could find. The third day, she finally decided that she needed to summon forth some courage and see Uta again.

She had not anticipated running into Itori on her way there, but when the girl offered to walk with her, she accepted without hesitation. Now she was sitting on an old wooden crate beside Itori, having her nails painted. The girl's gray-green eyes followed the movements of the tiny brush as it rang along her nails, a blush keeping her face warm as she felt Itori's thigh press against hers.

Sitting on the crate across from them was Uta. The male ghoul had one leg dangling over the front of the box, his other leg tucked up to his chest. His chin rested on his knee and his eyes were locked on the two girls, holding amusement.

"You have such delicate hands," the short-haired ghoul remarked. She held up Teruko's left hand, examining the dark lacquer on her nails. Itori puckered her lips and blew gently to try to help the color dry, giggling when she saw Teruko's face go from pink to red. "What? Does it tickle?"

"I-I'm fine," the other girl argued. _Why does that feel so nice? She's just holding my hand and blowing on it. _Bowing her head, Teruko's long bangs hid her eyes. She had never had her nails painted before. Constantly moving, she never even bought makeup. Cosmetics would just be more stuff for her to worry about.

Itori scooted a bit closer, her thigh pressing tighter against Teruko's as she moved on to the right hand's nails. She hummed quietly as she painted, not acknowledging the way that her friend was starting to sweat a little. "So what's Yuudai doing today?"

"Don't know. He's been going out and talking to girls lately so…he's probably hitting on some girls." Teruko bit her lower lip. _Am I subconsciously trying to push her away from him? But…she feels so warm. She's so close that I can smell her shampoo. _When Itori lifted her right hand to blow on her nails, Teruko felt a tingling sensation settle in her lower abdomen and shifted uncomfortably.

"Awww! Yuudai's kind of a playboy, huh? That's too bad." The girl grinned up at her, peering at the girl from beneath Teruko's bangs. "I think I'd rather hang out with you, though. You're way cuter~"

It was now that Uta spoke up. "Itori," he started in a warning tone.

"What? I can't have a little fun with her?" She pouted for a moment and then held up Teruko's left hand. "What do you think of this color, Uta?"

He hopped down from his crate and sauntered over to the two girls. Leaning in closely, he took her wrist and turned her hand a bit to examine her nails. It was simple black nail polish; nothing fancy or girly. His lips curled into a smile and he turned his gaze to Teruko. "It looks really cool."

"Right?! Black nails look awesome on her!"

"Y-your nails…are better," Teruko argued. She shifted her gaze from Uta's smile to the other girl's nails. They were a soft, pale shade of pink with white hearts. _Her nails…really are adorable_, she thought as her heart began to pound.

"Do mine next." The male ghoul climbed up onto the crate and sat behind Teruko, having the girl sit between his legs.

She flushed a new shade of red when she felt his chest against her back and she bowed her head. "Want your nails done?"

"Yeah. Itori, I want my nails to match hers." An arm slipped around her waist rather casually, his left hand pressing at her stomach to hold her in place.

Itori saw him making himself comfortable behind Teruko and grinned once more. "Awww! I can't be mad about you stealing her when you two look so cute together~"

Sitting very still, the ghoul watched her friend take Uta's hand in hers and begin to paint his nails. She was nervous about being so close to him. The past two days, she had been avoiding the boy. The confession about liking him had been embarrassing and she despised feeling embarrassed. This was not her only reason, however. Teruko wanted to avoid him because she knew that she smelled like Renji.

He had been sleeping in her bed with her for the past few nights. She could not risk Uta smelling him on her and then getting into her home to hunt Renji down. As cold and stoic as the pale-haired ghoul was, she liked him. Not romantically, but as a person in general. As a friend. Thus, she wanted to protect him at all costs.

As Itori worked on his nails, Uta brought his face to Teruko's hair and began to smile. The hand on her stomach pressed harder, pushing her tighter against his chest. "You smell delicious…"

Teruko attempted to keep calm. Her breathing was normal, muscles relaxed, but her heart was beating extremely fast. She could feel the hand on her stomach start to migrate up from her lower abdomen, sending another tingle through her body. The boy's hand paused on her ribs, beneath her bust, and he lightly tapped his fingertips against her chest.

The tip of his nose trailed along the side of her neck, making her jump. The girl caught Itori smirking at her reaction and Teruko bit her lower lip. _Calm. Stay calm. Why is my heart beating this fast? No reason why I should be acting like this. Not like I haven't done this to someone before. But is this really what it feels like?_

Itori placed her free hand on Teruko's thigh as she painted Uta's nails with a second coat, flashing the other girl a grin. "You're looking pretty red, T-chan."

"I'm…I'm fine." She lowered her gaze, but ended up looking at Itori's hand. Her pulse skipped as she saw the girl's fingers gradually move higher and further inward. _Why's she trying to tempt me?! She knows exactly what she's doing!_

Warmth spread through her as the hand that had been on her ribs now went to her neck. Fingertips trailed along her throat, guiding her head back to give Uta access to more of her skin. "H-hang on a second!"

"What's wrong?" Itori leaned in close, giving her a fake pout.

"Just…need to go. Need to get more coffee. Sorry." Teruko pulled free from Uta and hurried out of the warehouse as quickly as she could run.


	12. Chapter 12

NeonHorizon: I'm pretty sure that Yuudai is incapable of calling Renji by the correct name. Although, I guess it's just lucky he doesn't cycle through a list of incorrect names instead of just sticking with "Enji".

* * *

"So what's your type anyway? Ya seem like ya might go for sweet, timid girls. That what you're into, Enji?"

Renji stared at him blankly from across the room, holding a fresh can of coffee. The taller boy had been quiet for a while after his tangent about Uta, as if he was contemplating something, but now he was breaking the silence with this awkward question.

Yuudai leaned forward a bit, smirking. "C'mon, man! Everyone's got a type! Hell! Teru's got _two_ types 'cause she goes both ways! So what're ya into?"

Before he could form an answer, the pale-haired ghoul caught the approaching scent of Teruko and went silent. His gaze narrowed down at the coffee can in his hand. Yuudai seemed to notice her return as well and got up to greet the girl.

"Hey, Teru! Welcome back! Cold outside? Need me to warm ya up? Whoa! Teru, what happened to your face?!"

This drew Renji's attention and he lifted his gaze. Teruko was standing in the doorway, lips closed in a tight line and a hand pressed over her gushing nose. Blood was dripping down her chin and there was a flush of pink in her cheeks. Seeing her like this, he had a rather odd thought. _Teruko looks like a girl._

"I'm fine! Ngh! Don't need you worrying over me!" She scowled and wiped her nose on her sleeve. The girl stomped over to the wall and settled on the floor to lean against it, sitting about two feet away from Renji. "Damn it! The hell's wrong with me?" This was muttered under her breath.

Yuudai finally noticed the blush on her face and snickered. "Are ya kiddin' me?! Enji, look at big bad Teru blushin' like a virgin over there!"

"Fuck off!" Teruko slammed a boot against the floor, gray-green eyes narrowed in irritation. "Don't need this shit, Yuudai. Keep talking and I'll tear out your fucking throat."

Renji's eyes widened slightly and he gripped the coffee can tighter. He had seen her act ferocious before, but this was something different. She had never acted so viciously toward Yuudai. She sounded truly furious. _What happened…?_

"I'm bettin' ya saw somethin' good, right? Ya see Itori with a wet shirt again? C'mon! Ya gotta tell me what ya saw!"

"I. will. **_SLAUGHTER YOU_**."

"Teru, ya can't keep it all to yourself!"

"…that's enough…" Renji mumbled. "She…doesn't want to tell you."

"Oooh! First we got blushin' Teru and now we got assertive Enji, huh? Must be a full moon or somethin'!" Yuudai opened the cooler for another coffee and grimaced when he found it empty. "Well, I'm gonna go shoppin' since Teru's actin' weird. Be right back."

The pale-haired ghoul was glad to see him go. Yuudai had been alright company at first, but now he was getting on Renji's nerves. He had seen the rare image of Teruko acting extremely feminine and the image was ruined by Yuudai's crass choice of words. Now he was subconsciously wondering things.

As he looked at Teruko from the corner of his eye, he saw her trying to stop the bloody nose and failing. Yuudai had called her a virgin so now he found himself wondering if she was one. She acted cool and collected most of the time, even when trying to seduce prey, so he had assumed that she was experienced in that way.

"…here…" He grabbed a dark t-shirt that Yuudai had discarded earlier and moved to kneel in front of her. The boy gently held the fabric against her nose, watching the girl's eyes widen in alarm. _Something happened. What could make someone like her blush?_

"Ngh. Th-thanks," she murmured, eyes shifting to the side.

"Don't tilt your head back…try to lean forward."

"Yeah." She pressed a hand to the fabric, fingers brushing his for an instant. The female ghoul bowed her head, letting her blood freely flow onto the shirt.

He was brought back to what Yuudai had said earlier that morning. When he had questioned Renji about what he thought of Teruko. _She's…cute. When she's like this_, he realized. Sitting beside her again, he drew his knees up and closed his eyes. Seeing her act so cute was making his heart pound and he did not like that the assertive Teruko was making him feel this way.

_Assertive…_The pale-haired ghoul frowned and bowed his head. _Teruko's usually assertive, but when she's passive like this…Does she like assertive guys?_

**Shift P.O.V**

Grimacing, she drew the shirt away for a moment to see if her nose was done bleeding. _This has to stop. Damn it. Making me look weak. Who gets a nosebleed over something like that?_ She remembered the warmth of Uta's chest against her back, the way his fingers had trailed along her throat as Itori's fingertips slid up her thigh. More blood gushed from her nose and she released a low growl.

At her side, Renji was silent. He sat with his head bowed, eyes closed. Almost as if he was embarrassed for her. It was an absolutely humiliating thought, but that was what seemed to be happening.

_This is so uncool. Nose bleeding in front of Renji. Acting like I'm some innocent little virgin or something. Wouldn't be surprised if Uta and Itori are laughing at me right now!_ This thought made her grit her teeth and she curled her free hand into a fist. _Damn it!_

"…does it hurt…?" the boy mumbled.

"Nah. Didn't get hit or anything," she admitted. Teruko waited a bit longer and then removed the shirt again. "Nasty stuff. Hate getting nosebleeds. Doesn't happen much, but still sucks when it does." She saw him nod from the corner of her eye and smirked. "You get nosebleeds much, Renji?"

"No…not really."

"For the best, I guess. _Messy_." She caught him looking at her hand and remembered that Itori had painted her nails. "Ah. Admiring my new nail color?"

He turned his head toward her now, eyes focused on the girl's fingertips. "You…don't seem like the type of person who cares about stuff like that."

"Really? So what type of person you think I am, hm?" The girl ran her fingers through her long, dark hair and tossed the bloody shirt across the room onto Yuudai's sleeping bag. _He can take care of that himself. Never washes his own laundry anyway._

The pale-haired boy frowned and lowered his gaze. "You seem like…you try really hard to scare everyone off."

"But?"

"But…you have another side you don't show people."

Instantly, heat rose to her face and she began chewing at her lower lip. The female ghoul let her hair fall over her pink-tinted cheeks, eyes closing. "Tch. What're you saying? You think I'm _weak_ or something?"

Teruko expected him to either go silent and drop the subject or have some sort of snarky remark. Though blatant sarcasm would be out of character for him. It was just the normal reaction to being taunted. Instead, the girl found herself jolting as the boy slammed a hand against the wall beside her head and crouched in front of her.

Gray-blue met gray and she scowled up at him. "What're you doing? Think you can challenge me to a fight and take me out just because of a stupid little nosebleed?" she demanded.

Renji leaned down, his eyes narrowing as he drew closer. "You don't want anyone to know…that you have a soft side…"

"I don't want to hear flowery words from-!" Teruko bit back her words, being unsure of how she was even going to finish that sentence. She was furious, but at the same time, her heart was starting to beating at an inhuman pace. Instead of continuing her words, she opted to attack instead.

Her hands tangled in the boy's pale locks and pulled hard, forcing a hiss from him. She took that moment of distraction to shift position and slammed a boot against the wall behind her. The boy was forced onto his back with her on top of him, her teeth bared in an outraged snarl. Her knees dug into his sides and she fought the urge to start bashing his head against the floor.

With locks of dark hair falling forward around her pale face, she glowered down at Renji and hoped the move would intimidate him enough to not fight back. She was in no mood to fight, but she was not about to let him get away with making her feel weak.

The boy stared up at her, irritation clear in his eyes, and his hands gripped her hips with force. The two rolled over, the girl now on the floor with him hovering over her. Unfortunately, when Teruko had been on top of him, her legs had straddled his waist. She instinctively wrapped them around him tightly when he moved on top, not about to let him have full control. It made for a rather awkward, unnecessarily provocative position.

"The hell's your problem today, Renji? You wanna _die_?!" she finally snarled.

"…you started it…"

"I didn't start _shit_! You came up and got in my fucking bubble! I'm just-!" Teruko hissed sharply, feeling the grip on her hips tighten intensely. It was now that everything set in. She was on her back, on the floor, with this boy on top of her, with her legs wrapped around his waist and her fingers in his hair, and his body pressed way too close against hers.

The girl was usually the one on top, whether she was trying to seduce someone or being intimate. Being in this position, she felt a weird tingling run through her and she started to flush red. Teruko, not about to let him dominate her, lunged upwards as if to sink her teeth into his neck.

"The fuck ya think you're doin', Enji?! Didn't think ya would go for it that fast! Said I was gonna be right back! Shit!" Yuudai's voice broke through the otherwise silent room and the two shorter ghouls immediately separated.

Teruko sat against the wall beside her bed, panting and wiping at the dried blood beneath her nose. "_He_ started it."

"…_you_ started the fight…" Renji glared at her from across the little room. There was a faint hint of warmth in his cheeks, visible just before he bowed his head to hide it.

"_Fight_?" Yuudai ran a hand over his indigo hair and raised an eyebrow. "Fuckin' serious? Looked like ya were about to go at it. Tch. Think I'm an _idiot_? Just 'cause I can't read, doesn't mean I'm dumb! I know ya weren't fightin'!" Rolling his eyes, he settled on the floor beside the cooler and began stocking it with the coffee cans he had bought. "If you're gonna do that shit again, pick another room."

"We weren't…doing that," the pale-haired boy protested.

_Why the fuck did I get tingly?_ Teruko gritted her teeth, scowling at Renji.


	13. Chapter 13

Teruko felt a stare directed at her and when she glared over her shoulder at her two companions, she saw them slowly walking behind her. She adjusted the strap of her bag, her eyebrow raising when she realized that the two were talking. "What? Got something to say?"

Yuudai grinned and smacked Renji on the back, making the shorter boy grimace. "Enji here's gonna challenge Uta to a fight!" he announced.

"The hell are you going on about? That some kind of joke?" She pushed her long bangs back a bit, trying to see Renji's expression. He had been acting different for the past few days. Sleeping in a corner on Yuudai's side of the room. Keeping any contact with her limited. It was perplexing and left her wondering if he was planning some sort of ambush.

"I'm…going to fight Uta," Renji stated, his eyes meeting hers.

"Tch. Seriously?" She tilted her head back, releasing a heavy sigh. "I guess, if that's what you really want."

The pale-haired ghoul saw her lips curling into an excited half-grin and he approached her side. "Teruko…?"

"If you're going to fight him, you might want some backup, yeah? I've got your back. Could use a good workout anyway." Teruko saw the puzzled frown he wore and shrugged. "Uta's strong. He lands one good hit, you're down. I can swoop in and bide some time for you to recover."

"Why would you help me?"

"Why? We're _friends_, right?" The girl saw an extremely faint hint of warmth rise to his face and he turned his head to the side, hair falling to hide the color change. She blinked, half-certain that she must have imagined it. Their fight a few days ago had been odd, but nowhere near what Yuudai had thought it really was. _Absolutely nothing romantic about what happened between us_, she told herself.

Yuudai came up on her other side, beaming. "Hell yeah! Enji, if ya got Teru backin' ya up, ya can't lose!"

"Fact," she chimed in.

"Teru's "wings" are crazy strong! And she hits like a fuckin' truck! Should've seen her take on Uta last time! Hit him so fast, he didn't know what was comin' at him!" the boy continued.

"Mind taking it down a notch? Going to draw attention."

Yuudai rubbed the back of his neck, frowning down at her. "Anyway, ya can't lose if ya got her, Enji. Be pretty fuckin' cool to see ya team up and tear that demon apart!"

The thought of fighting Uta filled Teruko with excitement. She felt as though little bubbles were forming and popping within her veins, bringing adrenaline and anticipation with each burst. The first time she faced him in a fight, it was to defend Yuudai from being killed. She had been anxious and fearful. Now that she knew Uta better, she was eager to see what he could really do.

_If I do this, it'll give away my friendship with Renji._ She glanced to her right at the pale-haired boy and she trailed her fingers through her hair. _I'm just a last resort though. Surprise reinforcements. This is Renji's fight. Might not even need my help._

"We oughta get a real house or somethin' since there's three of us now." Seeing his companions snap their heads in his direction, Yuudai raised an eyebrow. "What? Ya haven't thought about it, Teru? We got a party of three and we're stickin' around a while, right? I could go in, clear a place out, and boom! We got a house or apartment or somethin'! Try tellin' me ya really don't care about havin' runnin' water!"

The girl found herself frowning. "Be nice, I guess."

"Ya kiddin'?! Be _awesome_! Take a bath together like when we were kids, Teru! I miss those days!"

_Was that really just your attempt at talking me into bathing with you?_ She smirked in response and shrugged. "Don't know. Renji?"

He tugged at his hood, pulling it forward more to keep his face in shadow. "…do I have a say…?"

Now it was Yuudai and Teruko turning to gape at Renji. "What d'ya mean? "Do I have a say?" What kinda bullshit is that? Ya think you're not part of the group or somethin'? Plannin' on leavin' us sometime soon?!"

There was a long pause before Renji frowned. "We should…get a new place," he finally mumbled with a nod.

"There's our Enji! That's two votes, Teru!"

She snickered and shook her head. "Want to put in the work of finding a place? Be my guest. I'm fine with the bath house."

As she said this, they came to their destination. The three ghouls entered the bath house, separating to go to their respective sides. Teruko was glad to be alone for a while so she could truly relax, but at the same time she worried about leaving Renji alone with Yuudai. The two seemed to get along, but she could see that Yuudai was wearing on their pale-haired friend.

When she sank into the warm bath, she released a sigh of relief and let her head rest back against the edge of the bath. The water caressed her pale skin and gave it a slight pinkish hue as it warmed her up. Outside, the air was becoming cold and she knew that it would probably rain again. It felt as though it rained just a little every day.

Other girls around her age were sitting across the bath from her, talking about school. None of them really caught her eye; they were too loud for her taste. They might make a nice meal, if nothing else. Fortunately for them, Teruko was still full from her last feast.

A few middle-aged women were walking into the bath together and seemed to be even more talkative than the teenage girls. They spoke about their kids and husbands, coupons they had for supermarkets, mutual acquaintances that they hated. One of them tried to casually bring up a recent ghoul sighting, but the others were uninterested.

Closing her eyes, Teruko tried to think of something to help her ignore the humans in the bath. She thought about what Yuudai had said regarding finding a new home, she thought about Itori, she thought about Uta, and finally she thought about her altercation with Renji.

It made her feel weak just to think about it. The memory of being pinned beneath him sent a shiver up her spine. A hand lifted out of the water, fingertips dripping, and dragged her digits through her hair. _Renji. Fucking Renji. Quiet Renji. My dear friend Renji. How did someone like him make me feel tingly? And how did I underestimate his strength?_

**Shift P.O.V**

"Ya know, I didn't think Teru was gonna step in like that. She must really like ya, Enji. Never offered to help anyone else except for me!"

Renji tried to move away from him, wanting to put distance between himself and Yuudai in the bath. Unfortunately, the taller boy would just inch closer when he noticed the distance. _If he touches me…_

"So what d'ya think of her now, huh? Now that I caught ya foolin' around, ya can't keep pretendin' ya don't think she's cute," the ghoul taunted.

"She…looks cute when she's embarrassed," Renji confessed.

"Right?! I like seein' her blush and get nervous! Only ever get to see that when she's talkin' to someone she likes. Ya oughta see her face when she talks to Itori-chan. Too bad I'm gonna make Itori-chan mine. Can ya imagine Teru and her makin' out? That'd be-!"

"I don't know Itori."

"Oh." Yuudai frowned and ran a hand over his freshly cut hair. "Okay, well she's pretty hot. Got short hair. Acts kinda bubbly. Ya oughta see her flirt with Teru; really makes her face turn red."

Renji was unable to picture it. Not just due to the fact that he had no idea what Itori actually looked like, but because he had never seen Teru turn red. Pink, yes. Red, no. He decided that it would probably look cute. If she was cute when she was only slightly embarrassed, he wanted to see how she would look when she interacted with a crush.

"She's so head over heels for that demon. Can't wait until ya kick his ass, Enji! She's gonna fall for ya so hard it'll make her head spin!"

He bowed his head, staring at the water. "…you think so…?"

"Hell yeah! No question about it; she's into ya already. If ya show her how strong ya are, she'll be all yours!"

_Mine?_ Remembering how she looked when he had her pinned down, he felt a rush of heat run through his body. His heart pumped a bit faster and he curled his hands into fists. "…alright…"

"Yeah! Dude, ya got this! Tomorrow afternoon! That's when ya gotta make your move, Enji!"

**Shift P.O.V**

"Have a good bath then?" Teruko greeted the boys with a smirk.

"Tch. Woulda been better if I had a nice view. See anythin' good in there?"

She half-shrugged. "Middle-aged women. Into the motherly type?"

Yuudai chortled and slapped her on the back. The boy's nose twitched and he leaned down, sniffing at her hair. "Damn. Ya smell really good, Teru."

The girl gave him a hard shove away from her and glared up at him. "The hell do you think you're doing?!" In her haste to put distance between them, she bumped into Renji and frowned. "Seriously! What-?!" To her alarm, her pale-haired friend sniffed out of curiosity and she felt heat rising to her face.

"You…smell good," he quietly agreed.

Teruko scowled and turned away from them both, stalking ahead and out of the bath house. "Can walk home by yourselves," she called over her shoulder. _So much for a relaxing bath. Ruined my good mood._

She managed to get ahead of them by a decent amount before she slowed her pace to a more leisurely walk. Her thoughts turned to Yuudai's idea again, about getting a new place to live. Somewhere with running water. Somewhere with actual glass in the windows. A place that had doors and could offer privacy. Perhaps she could even have her own bedroom then.

_Wouldn't be the worst idea_, she decided. Approaching the building, she caught Itori's scent seconds before the girl caught her in a hug from behind. Her face went pink as the girl's chest pressed against her back. "I-Itori?!"

She buried her face in Teruko's hair and snickered. "You smell delicious~"


	14. Chapter 14

NeonHorizon: Back by demand. I won't say popular demand, but people did want me to update and it's been a while. This story is pretty fun to write. The OC is nothing like my other OC's.

* * *

"Look at 'em, Enji! What's she got that I don't have, huh? Itori-chan's hangin' all over Teru! Pisses me off!"

Renji watched as the short-haired girl linked arms with Teruko. There was an odd flicker of jealousy as he noticed Teruko's face flush pink. He knew she liked boys and girls. He had seen her flirt with a human girl to lure her to her death. This was different though. Teruko seemed genuinely attracted to this female ghoul.

"What d'ya think it is, huh? Ya think Itori-chan just swings that way and she's been playin' with me?" Yuudai scratched at his head as he studied the girls from a distance. "Teru's blissed out over there and I'm stuck walkin' with a guy. What kinda unfair shit is this?"

"…she knows you're looking…" Renji murmured.

"What? Ya think she's puttin' on a show for me or somethin'?"

He nodded and Yuudai grinned. The taller ghoul started talking about how cute it was that Itori was trying to impress him, but his pale-haired companion had his thoughts focused elsewhere. Renji was thinking about his upcoming challenge to Uta as well as their long-haired leader, who had offered her help in the fight.

Teruko was definitely the leader of their group of three. Even if Yuudai was bigger than her. Even if Renji was her equal in strength. She was the dominant force behind them and was ultimately the one who decided what they would do. Renji had never seen Yuudai fight, but he could only guess that he was no match for her if it came to a physical altercation.

"Pretty creepy, huh? Remember the first time I saw Teru get all gooey over someone; creeped me the fuck out. She starts blushin' and actin' all cutesy. It's kinda great, but pisses me off 'cause she's never like that around me. Look! She's actin' like an actual girl and it's kinda hot, right? Don't act all _prude_, Enji; I see the way ya look at her!"

He grimaced and bowed his head, having not realized that he was actually staring at her. "…sure…"

"C'mon! Like you're not thinkin' about what it'd be like with her!" Yuudai nudged him with an elbow, hard. "Ya know, if I was stronger, I'd take her."

"What?"

"If I was stronger than Teru, I'd just take her! Can ya imagine bein'-"

"Stop." Renji let some irritation leak into his tone as he glared at his friend.

Yuudai rubbed the back of his head and sniffed. "Yeah, well, ya get what I'm sayin', right? Girls like that act all aggressive and mean 'til they meet a guy to dominate 'em. Then they get all gooey and sweet. What the fuck?!"

**Shift P.O.V**

Teruko saw Itori starting to turn to look behind them and had to move quickly. If she let her relationship with Renji be known too early, then the challenging fight would be far less entertaining and Uta would know what was going to happen. She wanted to see him look surprised. She wanted to fight him full force, with no punches held back; she wanted to see his full strength.

She did the first thing that came to mind in order to distract Itori. Wrapping both arms around her friend's neck, she leaned up and smashed her lips against the other girl's. Teruko muffled Itori's squeak of surprise and closed her eyes, hoping that Yuudai would get Renji out of the area as soon as possible. She was so distracted by that hope that she was genuinely surprised when Itori hugged her and kissed back.

Her heart was hammering as she drew back, face burning red as she stared at the short-haired ghoul. She bit her lower lip and looked away quickly, glad to see that Yuudai seemed to have understood the silent command. "Sorry. Couldn't stop myself. You…smell really good," she stated, making up an excuse.

"Awww! I was starting to wonder if you'd ever make a move, T-chan! But, you know, you probably shouldn't do stuff like that; you're gonna make Uta jealous," Itori teased her.

Frowning, she ran her fingers through her still slightly wet hair. "Hm." Teruko shifted her gaze, now searching for any sign of Uta in the area. She was unable to smell him anywhere close or even on Itori so she was sure he was probably off somewhere else. "What's he doing today?" she asked, trying to sound casual. On the inside, she was worried that he might be nearby and may have seen her with Renji.

"You finally make a move on me and _that's_ the first thing you ask?" The short-haired ghoul sighed and shook her head. "Way to get a girl's hopes up. I think Uta and some of the other guys were gonna hunt some doves that've been snooping around. He said they didn't need any help so I was hoping I'd get some alone time with my T-chan."

"Help?"

"Yeah. Sometimes I tag along to create a distraction. It's really fun!"

Teruko smirked and pushed her hands into her pockets. "Yeah. You're a good distraction; I'm sure."

Itori lightly slapped her arm, laughing softly. "You're such a flirt sometimes."

_What I do best._ Not that Teruko would ever tell her that. She knew how special it made a girl feel to have someone flirt with them. It made their heart race, their palms sweat, their eyes glitter. Teruko snickered in response and shook her head. "So…you want me to entertain you?" she continued.

If she was anyone else, she might have been daunted by the task of keeping Itori preoccupied. Part of her wanted to just go home and catch a nap after such a relaxing bath, but part of her was ready to spend the whole afternoon with Itori. As she always did when she hung out with a girl, Teruko found herself acting like a guy. It was always like this, whether she had a crush on the girl or not; she was always a gentleman.

It was a little challenging for her to find things for them to do. They went to a convenience store for coffee and she smirked, watching Itori flirt with the shop clerk to get them free coffee. The two girls walked around the fourth ward and Itori pointed out certain areas to avoid, waving at people she knew and introducing Teruko to them.

When they finally parted ways for the night, the sun had gone down. Teruko walked alone down the cracked, uneven sidewalk. Her hands were in her pockets, head bowed as she thought about what Renji had planned for the next day. _Uta better not have gotten hurt today_, she thought bitterly. _Won't be a fair fight if he was. And if I tell Renji to back down, it'll look like I've gone soft._

She paused at a street corner, her nose twitching as she picked up the smell of fresh human blood. It made her instantly salivate and she sniffed at the air, trying to discern where it was. If it was a fresh kill, the ghoul who did it was probably still close. If she managed to find a corpse that was abandoned, she would see what leftovers she could scavenge for herself.

Teruko did not have to look far. She was in a shady area of the fourth ward and as soon as she turned the corner, she happened upon the grisly scene. It was as Itori said; Uta had apparently hunted down a pair of investigators. One was already dead. The man's head was no longer connected to his body and his corpse was bleeding out against the side of a building.

The other man had a broken ankle that looked like it had been crushed and was sprawled on the cement. The second he saw her, he started shouting for help and began dragging himself toward the girl. He managed to push himself up and struggled to his feet. This human was battered, but determined to not suffer the same fate as his partner. He limped even as Uta watched from near the corpse.

She approached the man, but she was wary. There were two silver cases discarded carelessly on the sidewalk and she was sure those were their weapons. Before she could consider this further, she was proven wrong. This man began swiping at her as soon as she came within striking distance. He was wielding a small knife, which would normally leave her unfazed, but this blade actually sliced her wrist when she lifted an arm to defend herself. _What the hell?!_

Teruko was given no chance to release her kagune and exact her own revenge. Running footsteps alerted her to the swift approach of Uta and the investigator's eyes widened in terror. Seconds later, a hand grabbed his shoulder and yanked him backwards. Another hand burst through the front of the man's chest as if he was made of tissue paper.

Blood splatted her shirt and pants, dotting her face in some places. Teruko stared at the red-painted hand that poked through the man's chest and took a step back. The human's shoulder was released and he crumbled to his knees, gurgling and bleeding like a macabre waterfall.

Uta shook his arm, getting rid of excess blood, and a sheepish half-smile formed on his face. "I didn't think I'd see you today…"

"…same…" Teruko lifted her right hand to push hair behind her ear, but her wrist was quickly snatched by his hand.

He stared down at her bleeding wound and brought his face close. Uta's warm, wet tongue dragged along the length of the wound and he felt her shudder. Seeing how pink her face was turning, he was urged to continue. His lips parted more and he pressed them against her pale, delicate skin. Her blood painted his mouth crimson and he licked at his lips, savoring her flavor.

Bringing his face down close to hers, he used his blood-covered hand to tilt her chin up so she had to meet his red and black stare. A smile drew at his mouth and he tilted his head slightly. "You taste really good," he started. The smile grew as he licked remnants of her blood from his lips. "I could just eat you."

To cover up her embarrassment, she curled her hands into fists at her side and stared back in unblinking defiance. "Try it. Dare you. Don't mind getting into it, even if I like you; I'm not a meal."

"I never said what part I want to eat." He was almost satisfied when he saw her flush bright red, but then went a step further. His bloody hand released her chin in favor of cupping and caressing the side of her face. Uta brought his lips to hers, beginning with a soft and gentle kiss that soon escalated.

Teruko back up a step, still not ready to totally give in. She already felt like she was melting. He followed so she stepped back again and again until her back hit a wall. A knee wedged between her thighs and his lips left hers in favor of licking along her cut again, painting his tongue crimson with her blood.

_Supposed to fight him tomorrow. Or at least be ready to jump in to help Renji. Can I fight him full force when I'm feeling this weak just from a kiss?_ She lifted her free hand to touch her lips and smudged the blood.


End file.
